Wellspring Clinic
1919 Addison Street, Suite 101, Berkeley, CA 94704 Dr. Michael Nian Peng Shi, L.Ac.,PhD.
Hypertension is a modern medical diagnosis based on the measurement of pressure on the arterial walls during cardiac contraction and relaxation. It is a common condition that strikes up to 25% of the population. Modern medicine differentiates hypertension into essential and secondary types. Essential being the majority of cases up to 85% of all hypertension fall within this category. Secondary hypertension being those cases resulting from kidney, endocrine, liver disease, etc..
The most common or essential hypertension if left unattended can lead to the onset of other serious disease processes, such as stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, etc.. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), though it does not speak directly of a measure of cardiovascular system pressure, has much to offer in both analyzing the factors that can lead to hypertension and treatment for such situations.
The debilitating effects of prolonged high blood pressure are well known. One only need to look at the many articles in numerous national publications, TV and print advertisements about hypertension and the medications designed to alleviate and control this condition to get a glimpse at the magnitude and wide effects of this disease. I will not attempt to reintroduce materials that are already well publicized. We may however point out that the main focus in the modern medical approach to treatment of hypertension is to control or lower pressure mostly through pharmaceuticals that cause the vessels to relax and dilate or to reduce pressure through eliminating fluids from the system as a whole.
Instead, let’s think about hypertension from a differing perspective. One of the main concepts in TCM is the proper transport to and from of nutrients and wastes from all parts of the body; including the remotest locations. This function is carried out through the coordinated efforts of the Spleen, Kidney, Heart, Lungs, Stomach and Liver ( as defined by TCM). IF for any reason this transport process is impeded, one way the body responds could be to increase blood pressure so as to overcome the impedance.
This model of transport and its response cycle is central to TCM’s approach to the understanding and treatment of hypertension. Inherently, this perspective broadens the scope of the condition to be considered. As a result, treating hypertension through TCM, requires analyzing and assessing the functions of these various organ systems as to how each may contribute to the inadequate transport process and/or related systems in the response loop. Treatment thus follows. My experience, with treating hypertensive patients, have revealed to me the relevance and power of the TCM model and approach. Patients, if properly analyzed and treated, can recover normal blood pressure readings without continued use of pharmaceuticals.