Before you go...
We are constantly adding new content to our website. Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to discover a world of healing with Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Hypertension
Disease description:
Blood pressure is the force that a person’s blood exerts against the walls of their blood vessels. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure (Hypertension). Currently, blood pressure values up to 139/89 mmHg are considered normal or high normal, while 120/80 mmHg are classified as optimal. Often, with no warning signs at first and developing insidiously, hypertension damages organs after a short time, because the small blood vessels are particularly affected. Later on, general symptoms may occur at first, such as dizziness, headaches, palpitations, shortness of breath on exertion, nervousness and sometimes even sleep disturbances.
Explanation according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine:
The causes of hypertension in Chinese Medicine are:
- Long-term stress, depression, worrying cause Liver Qi stagnation and further turns into Liver Fire, which consumes Yin fluid.
- When getting older, Kidneys become weaker, causing Yin deficiency and Yin & Yang imbalance, which can lead to rising Yang.
- Overeating, fat and sweet food and too much drinking can lead to Stomach and Spleen Qi deficiency, gathering dampness and producing phlegm which disturbs and blocks the head, causing phlegm-type hypertension.
Possible syndromes causing these problems:
Liver Yang Rising (often seen in young people)
Stress, depression and worrying leading to rising Liver Yang, causing suddenly high blood pressure, dizziness, red eyes, eye secretions, irritability, headache with hot feeling in head, possible constipation and dark urine.
Bitter/ dry mouth, red tongue, wiry pulse
Treat with Clear Hyperyang
Add Disperse Blood Stagnation if poor circulation, thick blood, purple tongue
Add Purastream if high cholesterol, thick tongue coating
Recommended formulas to use:
Yin Deficiency & Yang Rising (very common pattern in older patients / family history)
Yin & Yang imbalance causing:
Hot feeling in palms, tinnitus, palpitation, blurred vision, low back & knee pain and weakness, insomnia, dryness in skin & eyes
Dizziness, headache with warm feeling in head, numbness or difficulty moving extremities, restlessness
Dry mouth, red tongue, less coating, thin wiry pulse
Treatment with Relieve Internal Wind
Add Disperse Blood Stagnation if poor circulation, thick blood, purple tongue
Add Purastream if high cholesterol, thick tongue coating
Recommended formulas to use:
Damp Phlegm Retention (more seen in young people)
Overeating and too much drinking causing Blockage of Phlegm, which disturbs the flow of Qi increasing blood pressure, headaches, dizziness, heavy headedness, restlessness, chest oppression, nausea, drowsiness, poor appetite, patients have obesity.
Tongue: Thick, white, greasy coating
Pulse: Slippery
