Acupuncture for High Blood Pressure
Acupuncture, a healing technique rooted in
traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), may help temporarily lower blood
pressure by reducing stress and influencing your body's hormones.
However, more research is needed to understand how it may fit into a
high blood pressure management plan.
This ancient practice involves placing very
fine, flexible needles into specific spots on your body, called
acupoints, to stimulate healing. Modern acupuncture can also include
electroacupuncture, which channels an electric current between
acupuncture needles.
Existing evidence exploring the benefits of
acupuncture for hypertension remains fairly mixed. Some research shows
promise, but other studies have found it difficult to eliminate bias and
come up with consistent results.
Does It Actually Work?
Several smaller studies suggest that acupuncture may help improve high
blood pressure:
A small 2015 study found that 33 participants treated with acupuncture
had lower blood pressure after 8 weeks of treatment. Research from 2018
found that acupuncture treatments may help lower blood pressure for
anywhere from 1 to 24 hours. A 2019 research review discovered that
acupuncture combined with Western medicine approaches—which include
medications and lifestyle changes—could help improve hypertension more
effectively than Western medicine alone.
Even so, experts call into question the
size, quality, and rigor of many of these studies.
Acupuncture may help lower blood pressure for some people, but many
studies don't conduct follow-ups to determine how long any reductions in
blood pressure may last. You may need sessions weekly, if not more
frequently, to make acupuncture a viable long-term approach to lowering
your blood pressure.
Larger, high-quality studies are needed to understand acupuncture's
short- and long-term effects on hypertension.
How Does Acupuncture Help Regulate Blood
Pressure?
According to TCM practitioners, acupuncture helps balance your body's
qi, or vital energy. Acupoints are the specific points where qi can flow
from your organs to the surface of your body. Meridians, or pathways,
connect these external points to your internal organs.
When an acupuncturist stimulates
combinations of specific acupoints in the right way, it's thought to
balance your qi and help regulate different bodily functions, including
your blood pressure.
Scientific evidence has yet to identify
exactly how acupuncture works, but stimulating certain points on your
body may act on your body's central nervous system, influencing blood
flow as well as the way your body produces key hormones.
When it comes to hypertension, acupuncture may help regulate your blood
pressure by acting on the hormones involved in the
renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). This system helps moderate
your blood pressure and balances your fluids and electrolytes.
In particular, acupuncture may change how the hormones and enzymes in
your RAAS show up in your blood and stimulate receptors in your body
that regulate blood pressure.
Acupuncture could also act on your limbic system to increase your levels
of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which plays a key role in your
brain's reward system. Research from 2021 suggests that dopamine may
lower oxidative stress—an excess of free radicals that can damage your
cells—and help keep your blood pressure balanced.
Acupuncture may also have a relaxing effect on the walls of your
arteries and veins, which may help lower your blood pressure.
Your acupuncturist will most likely tailor your treatment around your
specific needs after conducting a health study, so they may focus on one
or more acupoints during your session.
Does It Treat All Types of High Blood Pressure?
There are two main types of hypertension:
primary (essential) and secondary. Some studies suggest that acupuncture
could have potential benefits for both types.
Primary hypertension doesn't have a single identifiable cause. It
typically relates to risk factors such as genetics, age, and lifestyle.
Secondary hypertension occurs due to certain health conditions, such as
preeclampsia or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), or medications. This type
is less common.
Most research focuses on acupuncture for essential hypertension.
According to a 2023 research review, acupuncture may help manage
essential hypertension, but the researchers also emphasize that the
overall quality of the existing evidence is low.
Many conditions can contribute to secondary hypertension, and studies
that focus on these conditions have arrived at mixed results.
For example, a 2019 study of 44 people with OSA—a condition that can
cause secondary hypertension—found that acupuncture seemed to have no
effect on the participants' blood pressure.
However, a small 2018 study that included
22 pregnant women with pre-eclampsia, a condition that involves high
blood pressure, found some potential benefits. Half the participants
received up to 10 acupuncture sessions over 2 weeks, while the other
half received treatment as usual. Adding acupuncture to the usual
treatments for pre-eclampsia lowered both systolic and diastolic blood
pressure more than the usual treatments alone.
Ultimately, more research is needed to fully understand acupuncture's
role in managing blood pressure.
Safety and Side Effects
When performed by a board-certified
acupuncturist, acupuncture is generally safe for most people, with
little risk of side effects.
Side effects aren't common, but you may notice:
Bruising or bleeding
Pain where the needle is inserted
Nausea
Dizziness
Fatigue
Issues can arise if your practitioner doesn't use sterile, single-use
needles. But for trained and licensed acupuncturists, this is standard
practice.
Improperly performed acupuncture may lead to
infection or, in rare cases, severe side effects such as central
nervous system injuries or punctured organs.
Talk with a healthcare professional before trying acupuncture to make
sure it's safe for you. People with bleeding disorders, metal allergies,
or other health conditions may need to find an alternative treatment.
People with certain implantable devices, like defibrillators, should
also avoid acupuncture that uses electric currents.
How to Find an Acupuncturist
It's always best to opt for a board-certified acupuncturist.
In the United States, the National Certification Commission for
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine certifies acupuncturists. You can find
a licensed acupuncturist in your area using their directory.
Other helpful tips for finding the right acupuncturist:
Ask friends or co-workers for recommendations of reputable
acupuncturists in your community
Use a search engine to find an acupuncturist with excellent reviews
Check with your insurance plan to find out if it covers acupuncture
Ask a doctor or other healthcare professional for a referral
Once you find a potential acupuncturist, make sure they hold a current
license to practice acupuncture, and feel free to ask any questions you
have about the process. If they don't answer your questions to your
satisfaction, or you don't feel comfortable with them, you may want to
find someone who's a better fit.
The Bottom Line
While its effectiveness for lowering blood pressure in the long-term
remains up for debate, smaller studies suggest acupuncture could
temporarily help improve high blood pressure.
You can safely use acupuncture alongside most blood pressure
medications, and this combination could do more to lower your blood
pressure than medication alone.