What is High Blood Pressure?
Most medical exams begin with taking your blood pressure. Blood pressure refers to the pressure that your pumping blood puts on the walls of your blood vessels throughout the body. Systolic pressure (the 'top number') refers to the pressure of the blood being pushed out of the heart, while diastolic pressure (the 'bottom number') refers to the pressure with which the blood returns to the heart.
Hypertension is a condition in which blood pressure is high. It can be an indicator of many serious conditions, such as heart disease and stroke. It is estimated that one-third of adults in the U.S. suffer from hypertension, and many of them don't even realize it.
High blood pressure is usually treated with diet, medication, or a combination of both. Sometimes the root cause of high blood pressure may be a problem with the upper cervical spine.
Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
Unless you're regularly getting your blood pressure checked, you may not even realize you have high blood pressure. Some symptoms a person with hypertension may experience include headaches, dizzy spells, chest pain, shortness of breath, or blood in the urine. Occasionally patients may also experience visual impairments.
Symptoms will vary in severity. Some people will brush off mild symptoms, or may not experience any symptoms. This is dangerous because if your blood pressure is too high and you're not getting treatment, you're essentially a ticking time bomb.
How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects High Blood Pressure
The brain and spinal cord make up the Central Nervous System. This is the body's major conduit for nerve signals that regulate all of the body's functions, including the contraction and expansion of blood vessels to regulate how the blood moves throughout the entire body. When nerves are compressed or damaged, signals may be disrupted or misfired. The essential signals that stimulate blood vessels to contract and expand are unable to properly regulate the circulatory system.
The upper cervical spine plays a role in protecting the CNS where the brain stem connects to the spinal cord. The upper cervical vertebrae run from the base of the skull and down the neck and are prone to misalignment from injuries, impacts, or poor posture. A misalignment of the upper cervical spine may cause inflammation, swelling, and compressed, or pinched nerves that can lead to high blood pressure.
How Our Blood Pressure Treatment Works
Dr. Bejian Shamloo is an upper cervical specialist who prefers to get at the root cause of high blood pressure. The doctor uses revolutionary non-invasive technology to examine the health of the spine and calculate any misalignments, no matter how minuscule.
Advanced 3D imaging, which is far superior to 2-D X-rays, is utilized by Dr. Shamloo as a diagnostic tool allowing for more precise, gentler corrections that hold longer. The doctor can then make adjustments with non-invasive, safe, natural techniques.
Once the upper cervical spine is properly aligned, the body can resume normal nerve functions. At this point, the body's natural healing mechanisms will spring into action, repairing damage and improving overall health.
Dr. Shamloo provides upper cervical chiropractic treatment for patients in Knoxville, Alcoa, Maryville, Farragut, Clinton, Oak Ridge, Sevierville, Lenoir City, Karns, Hardin Valley, Powell, Halls, and Fountain City in Tennessee, as well as the surrounding areas.
