A study now proves the benefits of acupuncture for hypertension in a randomized controlled trial.
Tests were done on 65 participants not receiving alternative hypertensive medication. These participants were randomly selected to a group receiving electroacupuncture on specific selected points for hypertension, and another group with electroacupuncture on other not specific points. In the group with the hypertension specific points selected participants showed 70% had a significant drop in blood pressure averaging 6-8mmHg for systolic and 4mmHg for diastolic. Not only was there a drop, but these findings lasted for at least a month and a half!
No significant drop in blood pressure was seen in the other group with the alternative acupuncture points selected, further proving point selection is important with this treatment.
Although these findings might seem minimal in terms of absolute drop in blood pressure, they are still clinically meaningful when it comes to seeing an improvement in hypertension, especially systolic hypertension. Furthermore as it has also been shown to decrease peak and average systolic blood pressure it is thought it could help with other similar conditions like stroke and possibly even myocardial infarctions.
Peng Li, Stephanie C. Tjen-A-Looi, Ling Cheng, Dongmei Liu, Jeannette Painovich, Sivarama Vinjamury, John C. Longhurst. Long-Lasting Reduction of Blood Pressure by Electroacupuncture in Patients with Hypertension: Randomized Controlled Trial. Medical Acupuncture, 2015; 27 (4): 253 DOI: 10.1089/acu.2015.1106