In 2012, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that the top two leading causes of death amongst Australians were ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. Both diseases exhibit hypertension or high blood pressure as an early warning sign therefore it’s absolutely essential to maintain a healthy blood pressure so as to prevent a myriad of problems later on.

And how is this healthy blood pressure maintained? Via healthy stress-free living, a low sodium diet and of course, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Acupuncture alone has been proven as an effective adjunct therapy to control high blood pressure and is commonly used alongside pharmaceuticals in many parts of Asia.

Researchers in a 2013 paper stated “that on patients currently using antihypertensive medication, acupuncture facilitated a significant reduction in blood pressure and reduced the patients complaints. We therefore conclude that our data strongly suggest that acupuncture should be in the hypertension treatment guidelines and widely used for blood pressure regulation” ( Cevik C.,Isero SO., 2013).

Is it ok for me to have acupuncture or Chinese herbs if i’m taking blood pressure medication?

Absolutely, just let your practitioner know what medications and/or vitamins/supplements you’re taking so that your herbal prescription can be adjusted accordingly.

Some drugs may interact with the herbs so it’s extremely important that you inform your practitioner of any changes to your medications as soon as possible.

General acupuncture and ear acupuncture on the other hand are excellent non drug related treatments to maintain a healthy blood pressure.