Lifestyle modifications are a critical component to lowering blood pressure, and are always indicated regardless of the need for prescription medication. In addition to regular exercise, maintaining a desirable weight, reducing sodium intake, increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, stopping smoking and minimizing alcohol, massage therapy is a valuable complementary therapy for reducing high blood pressure.
Interestingly, researchers have found that some modalities are effective at reducing the pressure inside the arteries’ walls, while others increase that pressure. The techniques regarded as good blood pressure reducers include:
Swedish Massage
Published in the January 2006 edition of The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, researchers looked at the effects of different types of massage on blood pressure. They found that Swedish massage had the greatest effect on blood pressure reduction.
Craniosacral Therapy
While not confirmed in a randomized study, advocates of craniosacral therapy tout its ability to lower blood pressure. According to the London-based integrated medical physician Dr. Andrew Logan, advanced craniosacral therapy can ease hypertension by relaxing the subclavian and femoral arteries.
Aromatherapy
A study published in a Korean medical journal in December 2006 evaluated the effects of an aromatherapy blend on blood pressure. The researchers found that inhaling blends of lavender, ylang ylang, and bergamot once daily for four weeks reduced the blood pressure of those with hypertension. Additionally, a 2007 study from the International Journal of Neuroscience, women were given aromatherapy massage using lavender, rose, geranium, and jasmine for 30 minutes, once weekly, for two 8-week periods along with self abdominal daily massage at home. The study suggests that aromatherapy massage may exert positive effects on blood pressure as it produces significant differences between pre and post-treatment levels of systolic blood pressure.
There are many ways to raise blood pressure including being stressed out, drinking lots of caffeine, taking pseudoephedrine or steroids, or receiving painful bodywork. The study that found Swedish massage to be most effective at lowering blood pressure also found that certain modalities increased blood pressure. More specifically, the researchers determined trigger point therapy and sports massage were both capable of increasing someone’s systolic blood pressure.
The goal in treating hypertension is to reduce the risk of serious complications including heart disease and stroke. Although massage therapy is not a standalone treatment for high blood pressure, choosing the right bodywork modality can help reduce hypertension’s associated risks.
Conclusion
Avoid techniques that could be painful for clients with high blood pressure. Instead, rely on Swedish massage, craniosacral therapy, and aromatherapy to give your blood vessels a respite from the pathological pressure they routinely endure
Article by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac., MTCM, Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM)®
Nicole Cutler, L.Ac., MTCM is a long time advocate of integrating perspectives on health. With a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from the University of Rochester and a Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches Institute, Nicole has been a licensed acupuncturist since 2000. She has gathered acupuncture licences in the states of California and New York, is a certified specialist with the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association, has earned diplomat status with the National Commission of Chinese and Oriental Medicine in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology and is a member of the Society for Integrative Oncology. In addition to her acupuncture practice that focuses on stress and pain relief, digestion, immunity and oncology, Nicole contributes to the integration of healthcare by writing articles for professional massage therapists and people living with liver disease.