The increasing incidence of hypertension, especially in the elderly, is a very important issue in how to effectively control blood pressure, reduce complications, and prolong life expectancy. Whether hypertension requires lifelong medication, whether hypertension can be cured, and the efficacy of Chinese medicine on hypertension are all issues of concern.
I. Whether hypertension can be cured by Chinese medicine
Hypertension can be cured by Chinese medicine, but it requires the patient to have a correct understanding of the disease, patience and long-term cooperation with the doctor so that hypertension can be cured. Chinese medicine believes that hypertension is caused by the loss of balance between the body’s qi, blood, yin and yang, with the main manifestation being the internal movement of liver wind with phlegm and stasis. Chinese medicine treatment is to treat the root of the disease, through drugs to adjust the qi, blood, yin and yang, while changing their own lifestyle, after a relatively long-term treatment, part of the people can eventually cure hypertension.
Secondly, what is the antihypertensive effect of Chinese medicine and how to cure hypertension
The antihypertensive effect of Chinese medicine is slow, but it has been clinically observed that Chinese medicine has a definite antihypertensive effect, and the blood pressure does not easily rebound after treatment with Chinese medicine. There are many proprietary Chinese medicines introduced in the clinic, but the antihypertensive effect of these medicines is not obvious, so many people think that the antihypertensive effect of Chinese medicine is not good, or even think that Chinese medicine has no antihypertensive effect at all. How can Chinese medicine have antihypertensive effect? Many people have searched for a large number of secret recipes and gone to great lengths to find potent medicines, only to find that they are just busy in vain, because the efficacy is not good.
Chinese medicine and Chinese medicine are inseparable, the use of Chinese medicine is not just a simple fetishism, must be based on the identification of evidence, through the examination and diagnosis, to grasp the hypertension of the cold and heat, yin and Yang deficiency, the right medicine, and at the same time, the patient to change the lifestyle, remove the bad habits that affect the imbalance of qi and blood, such as changing the diet, strengthen exercise, maintain a good state of mind, adjust the routine of life, so that Through a relatively long period of time, probably a year or more, it is expected to cure hypertension.
Comparison of the efficacy of Chinese and Western medicines in lowering blood pressure and the need for combined Chinese and Western medical treatment
The treatment of hypertension with Chinese medicine does not in any way exclude the unique advantages of Western medicine in terms of antihypertensive drugs. Western medicine has fast results in the treatment of hypertension, many drug choices, and definite antihypertensive effects. Hypertension requires lifelong medication because antihypertensive drugs only control blood pressure, not treat hypertension, and patients can only choose to insist on taking medication every day until the end of their lives.
In the clinic, many patients after taking a period of western medicine antihypertensive drugs, blood pressure has remained stable, at this time, they often ask the doctor whether their hypertension disease is cured, and whether they still need to continue treatment, after the doctor told them that they can not stop the drug, after stopping the drug blood pressure will be as high as before, the patient will often look frustrated, this is the reason they do not understand the principle of hypertension drugs. Other patients, after taking antihypertensive drugs for a period of time and measuring their blood pressure normally, think that their hypertension has been cured and stop using antihypertensive drugs on their own, and a few days later their blood pressure suddenly rises, and some even have a stroke or myocardial infarction.
Although Western medicine is mainly used to control blood pressure in the treatment of hypertension, when the blood pressure is too high, if treated with Chinese medicine alone, the effect is slower and in this case is not good for the patient. When the blood pressure is high it is important to add western medicine while taking herbal medicine, and not to neglect the symptoms while treating the root cause, so as to avoid cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents when the blood pressure is too high, to give full play to the advantages of Chinese and western medicine, to achieve the best and optimal treatment effect for the patient, to reduce and minimize complications as much as possible, and to prolong the patient’s life.
After many large clinical experiments, it has been verified that the current control of hypertension with Western medicine can reduce cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications, and most patients can achieve the purpose of controlling symptoms and reducing complications by combining Western medicine in small doses and taking it for a long time. So don’t be blindly afraid of western medicine for hypertension, as long as it is used reasonably, it is beneficial to the body.
Chinese medicine has a curative effect on hypertension, and long-term treatment is expected to cure hypertension from the root. However, the short-term efficacy of Chinese medicine is not outstanding, because the treatment of hypertension in TCM is to fundamentally improve the patient’s constitution, adjust the patient’s yin and yang imbalance through medication, and ultimately treat hypertension. However, in the treatment of hypertension, one should always insist on controlling the blood pressure in the normal range, and it is only when the blood pressure reaches the standard that the patient can ultimately benefit.
During the treatment of hypertension, patients must bring their own blood pressure monitor and insist on measuring their blood pressure every day to keep it within the normal range, not just in the hospital. Many patients are reluctant to self-test their blood pressure, always afraid that they will not be able to measure it, or because they do not know the numbers, or worry that they will not use it, they prefer to test their blood pressure in the hospital, but do not understand that blood pressure measurement in the hospital is often inaccurate, because in the hospital the patient is often more nervous, the measured blood pressure is often higher than the self-test blood pressure, which is called the “white coat phenomenon This is called the “white coat phenomenon”. In order to achieve the blood pressure standard, in order to always control the blood pressure in the normal range, for the maximum benefit of the patient, the rational use of Chinese and Western medicines is necessary.
Many patients who have been treated with the combination of Chinese and Western medicine have achieved better results, including better blood pressure control, disappearance of symptoms, and better physical condition. In some cases, during the long-term treatment with Chinese medicine, Western antihypertensive drugs are gradually reduced or even stopped, and eventually cured of hypertension.
4. How to use Chinese medicine to treat hypertension with evidence
In clinical practice, long-term adherence to the use of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of hypertension has better efficacy. It is difficult to use one method to treat hypertension clinically, but the following methods are commonly used.
1.Ping the liver and submerging Yang method
Suitable for patients with Yin deficiency and Yang hyperactivity, often using Tianma Hooked Vine Drink.
2.Clear phlegm and lower turbidity method
Phlegm and turbidity are also common causes in the pathogenesis of hypertension, so the method of reducing phlegm and turbidity is suitable for patients with phlegm and turbidity congestion.
3.Dispersing wind and dipping fire
If the heart fire is hyperactive and the kidney water is insufficient, Huanglian Agaricus Tang is added.
For the liver meridian with depressed heat, the treatment is to dissipate liver qi and disperse depressed heat, and to regulate the qi flow by adding and subtracting elevation san.
4.Tonic for Qi
Hypertension with Qi deficiency symptoms is also quite common, do not use the method of nourishing Yin and submerging Yang, should be the main benefit of Qi to ascend and clear, can often improve the symptoms, blood pressure is also reduced.
5.Warm Yang method
When the patient’s identification is consistent with Yang deficiency, there is no need to stick to the traditional concept, nor be influenced by modern medicine and pharmacology, and boldly use warming Yang legislation and prescriptions.
6.Dispersing cold and sweating method
Some hypertension can also be caused by peripheral vascular spasms, increased peripheral resistance, which is similar to the mechanism of cold blood vessels collect and lead to condensation, appearing in the spasms of tight and constricted veins. Dispersing cold and issuing sweat to relieve the clotting of cold can turn the spasmodic veins into relaxation, presumably reducing peripheral vascular resistance and thus lowering blood pressure. Treatment is commonly used in ephedra with seeds and fine spice soup, Wujisan, Xiaoqinglong Tang, etc.
7.Lifting the liver and relieving depression
Emotional disorders, worries and rage, liver qi stagnation is not relieved, the loss of its normal sparing and discharge, the five organs of the qi machine is not harmonious, the elevation of the machine is out of order, the qi and blood because of the rebellion, the transmission and transformation is out of order, clear and turbid. And liver qi is not relieved, long depression into fire, the fire rises and wind moves, dry the clear spirit of the house, resulting in dizziness attacks. Add or subtract Prosperity San to the prescription of Chinese medicine.
8.Systemic conditioning method
The systemic causes of hypertension are: kidney deficiency, spleen dampness, liver qi stagnation, spleen and stomach disharmony, and liver and gallbladder dysregulation. The symptoms are dizziness and headache, faintness and confusion. The treatment is to strengthen the spleen and dredge the liver, calm the gallbladder and stomach, clear the lung and regulate the qi, broaden the chest and lower the rebellion.