Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month and Cardiac Rehabilitation Month. Acupuncture and herbs treat many forms of cardiovascular disease, which is the number one killer in the U.S.

In 2002 the World Health Organization reported on the therapeutic effects of acupuncture for heart disease. Researchers at a traditional Chinese medicine hospital in China concluded that a traditional Chinese herbal preparation is an effective remedy for patients suffering from coronary heart disease.

Chinese medicine has also been proven to lower high blood pressure. High blood pressure directly increases the risk of coronary heart disease, leading to heart attack or stroke. A University of California, Irvine study found that electro acupuncture treatments lowered high blood pressure in rats by as much as 50 percent.

"This suggests that acupuncture can be an excellent complement to other medical treatments," said Dr Longhurst, the study's lead researcher. "Especially for those treating the cardiac system."

These studies suggest that acupuncture triggers the release of chemicals in the brain that dampen the response of the cardiovascular system. This decreases the heart's activity and need for oxygen, which as a result could lower blood pressure. Therefore, acupuncture could promote healing for a number of heart conditions including heart attacks and hypertension.

"Our goal," Longhurst said, "is to help establish a standard of acupuncture treatment that can benefit everyone who has hypertension and other cardiac ailments."

Traditional Chinese medicine views heart disease as arising from heart weakness or blocked energy flow. Standard treatments may include herbal remedies, massage, acupuncture and dietary recommendations. In addition, Tai Chi and Qigong have shown excellent results reducing high blood pressure and stress.

For more information on how Chinese medicine can treat cardiovascular disease, please contact Pacific College of Oriental Medicine at (800) 729-0941, or visit www.PacificCollege.edu.

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