Introduction
- Hypertension is also referred to as High Blood Pressure and it is one of the most common chronic diseases and often regarded as a ‘Silent Killer’ because it could occur without symptoms and being the major cause of Sudden Death
- It is a leading cause in the development of severe medical conditions and increases the risk of the occurrence of Heart and kidney diseases; Stroke; Diabetes;
- According to the World Health Organization; Hypertension is diagnosed if, when it is measured on two different days, the systolic blood pressure readings on both days is ≥140 mmHg and/or the diastolic blood pressure readings on both days is ≥90 mmHg.
Predisposition and Causes
- Consumption of diets with excessive salt and fat contents as well as the avoidance of diets rich in fruits and vegetables are known to promote the onset of hypertension
- Family History of hypertension and age above 65 years are known to be risk factors
- Hypertension is called a “silent killer”. Most people with hypertension are unaware of the problem because it may have no warning signs or symptoms. For this reason, it is essential that blood pressure is measured regularly
- Smoking; Chronic Kidney Disease; Excessive alcohol consumption; Side Effects of Medications; Excessive weight; Chronic stress; Cardiovascular Disease; Chronic renal diseases; High Level of Cholesterol; Congenital Heart Defects; Obstructive Sleep Apnea; Diabetes; Thyroid disorders have been incriminated as causes of hypertension
Symptoms
- Hypertension does not present with any symptom usually and that is the reason why it is referred to as a Silent Killer
- Symptoms associated with hypertension include: Shortness of Breath; Chest Pain; Blood in Urine; Headache; Dizziness; Nose Bleeding; Visual blurring; Sweating; Flushing; Anxiety; InsomniaÂ
Management
- Most people depend on Medications for the control of hypertension and there are various types available in the markets
- When the cause of hypertension is known, addressing that cause leads to the control of hypertension
- Utilizing Natural methods to control hypertension builds on the fact that the human body is an Energy field which if well understood could be treated through those existing fields
- Acupressure and Breathing Exercises have been used over generation of time to control and manage hypertension
- Available reports indicate that the drugs used for treating hypertension could cause cancer
- Reports indicate that Acupressure is effective for controlling hypertension
- According to Eli Ben-Yehuda, Acupressure lowers blood pressure Fast; in their research, Gan-Hon Lin et. al concluded that Acupressure can lower BP in hypertensive patients and may be included in the nursing care plan for hypertension.Â
- Several studies have been conducted and results show the efficacy of breathing in controlling many diseases especially those that originate from the imbalance between the mind and the body
- Studies conducted by Talma Rosenthal et. al; Ester Meles et. al; Kow Fei Ping et. al, among others confirm the efficacy of breathing exercise in controlling Hypertension