When people think about chiropractic care, they often associate it with back pain, neck pain, or headaches. What might not cross your mind is that an upper cervical adjustment could actually help with high blood pressure. Yes, you read that right! Blood pressure—a condition that’s typically addressed with medication—can sometimes be significantly improved with chiropractic care.
Let me tell you about an eye-opening study that I share with my patients all the time. Back in 2007, Dr. George Bakris, the director of the University of Chicago Hypertension Center, conducted a study on the effects of upper cervical chiropractic care on blood pressure. The results were astonishing.
“This procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood-pressure medications given in combination,” Dr. Bakris said. “And it seems to be an adverse-free event. We saw no side effects and no problems.”
The study didn’t involve any blood pressure medications. Instead, one group received a specific upper cervical adjustment to the Atlas (the top vertebra in the neck), while the control group received a fake adjustment. The results? Those who had the real adjustment experienced a significant drop in blood pressure, comparable to what two medications would achieve together.
Dr. Bakris even admitted that when the statistician first showed him the data, he didn’t believe it. “It was way too good to be true,” he said. “But we checked for everything, and there it was.”
What led to this study? Dr. Bakris had heard about a doctor whose patients were seeing an upper cervical chiropractor for unrelated issues. Some of those patients, who had high blood pressure, noticed their numbers normalizing—and a few even stopped needing their medication altogether. That was enough to convince Bakris to formally investigate.
But here’s the kicker: this adjustment isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. “Is it going to be for everybody with high blood pressure? No,” Bakris explained. “We clearly need to identify those who can benefit. It is pretty clear that some kind of head or neck trauma early in life is related to this.”
I’ve seen these results firsthand with my own patients. One in particular stands out—a patient who had tried everything. Diet changes, exercise, multiple medications—nothing worked, and his blood pressure kept climbing. After just one upper cervical adjustment, he noticed an immediate improvement.
Why does this work? The Atlas is located at the very top of your spine, and when it’s misaligned, it can put pressure on the brainstem and disrupt communication between the brain and the body. This can create a ripple effect on the nervous system, including the regulation of blood pressure. Once the Atlas is properly aligned, the body can return to its natural balance.
If you’ve been struggling with high blood pressure despite trying everything else, it might be time to explore this option. At Upper Cervical Health Centers, we specialize in identifying and correcting Atlas misalignments. Call us today at 239-243-8810 for a free consultation—we’d love to help you get back to feeling your best.
