Hypertension Massage Therapy: Etiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Holistic Massage Methods

Massage therapy for patients with hypertension

Hypertension is a chronic disease characterized by persistently elevated arterial blood pressure, often causing damage to vital organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys, and leading to corresponding consequences. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), normal blood pressure for adults should be systolic blood pressure less than or equal to 18.6 kPa (140 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure less than or equal to 12 kPa (90 mmHg). In other words, systolic blood pressure between 18.9 and 21.2 kPa (141 to 159 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure between 12.1 and 12.5 kPa (91 to 94 mmHg) is considered borderline hypertension.

Etiology and Pathogenesis

The incidence rate is higher in people who experience prolonged mental stress and lack of physical activity, have a family history of hypertension, are overweight, consume high levels of salt in their diet, or are heavy smokers. This disease is closely related to the liver and kidneys.

diagnosis

In the early stages, patients often remain asymptomatic for many years, only discovering hypertension incidentally. Later, they may experience neck or head pain, dizziness, blurred vision, nosebleeds, palpitations, irritability, poor memory, and insomnia. In later stages, symptoms related to the heart, brain, and kidneys may appear. Hypertensive encephalopathy often manifests as a sharp increase in blood pressure, accompanied by severe headache, dizziness, vomiting, and even convulsions or coma, and may be accompanied by cerebral vascular extravasation and cerebral edema.

Massage therapy

(1) Overall massage method

① Pushing the bridge of the head: Use the thumb to push the bridge of the head, completing one side before moving to the other, 30 times on each side. ② Sliding and rubbing: Use the sliding and rubbing method on the forehead and around the eyes, applying from the midline of the body outwards for 3 minutes. ③ Thenar eminence kneading: Use the thenar eminence kneading method on the forehead for 5 minutes. ④ Thumb kneading: Use the thumb kneading method to knead the glabella and temples for 5 minutes. ⑤ Sweeping and dispersing: Use the sweeping and dispersing method on both sides of the temporal region for 1 minute. ⑥ Grasping: Use the five-finger grasping method on the top of the head for 3 minutes, grasping the Fengchi, Quchi, and Jianjing acupoints for 1 minute each.

Quick reference for acupoints:

Yintang acupoint: Located on the face, at the midpoint of the line connecting the two eyebrows.

Temples: Located in front of the auricle, on both sides of the forehead, above the extension line of the outer corner of the eye.

Fengchi (GB20): Located below the occipital bone, 1 cun directly above the midpoint of the posterior hairline and 1.5 cun lateral to the midline, approximately in the depression between the upper ends of the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles.

Qiaogong acupoint: Located on the large tendons on both sides of the neck, it can be felt when moving the head left and right.

Jianjing acupoint: The midpoint of the line connecting Dazhui acupoint and the acromion, and the intersection of the line directly above the nipple and the shoulder line.

Quchi acupoint: With the elbow bent at a right angle, it is located at the midpoint of the line connecting the lateral end of the elbow crease and the lateral epicondyle of the humerus.

(2) Foot massage methods

① Index finger pushing method: Use the index finger pushing method to push the adrenal glands, kidneys, ureters, and bladder areas in a centripetal direction for 3 minutes each. ② Thumb kneading method: Use the thumb kneading method to knead the head (brain) and ear areas for 3 minutes each. ③ Thumb pushing method: Use the thumb pushing method to push the balance organs (inner ear labyrinth) in a counter-centripetal direction.

(3) Hand massage methods

① Thumb kneading method: Knead the kidney and bladder areas for 2 minutes each using the thumb kneading method. ② Thumb pushing method: Push the ureter area towards the heart for 2 minutes using the thumb pushing method, and push the lung area from the radial to the ulnar side for 2 minutes. ③ Thumb pressing method: Press the pituitary gland and liver areas for 2 minutes each using the thumb pressing method. ④ Thumb pushing method: Push the brain, neck, thyroid gland, and celiac plexus areas towards the heart for 2 minutes each using the thumb pushing method. ⑤ Thumb pressing and kneading method: Press and knead the heart area for 3 minutes using the thumb pressing and kneading method. ⑥ Thumb and index finger pinching method: Pinch the blood pressure area for 2 minutes using the thumb and index finger pinching method.

(4) Precautions

① Avoid mental stress and emotional excitement, and keep a cheerful mood.

② Participate in appropriate labor and physical exercise within your capabilities, but avoid excessive fatigue.

③ Maintain sufficient sleep and regular bowel movements.

④ Maintain a regular daily routine, and in particular, avoid going to bed too late.

⑤ Quit smoking and drinking, and follow a low-salt, low-cholesterol diet. In particular, obese patients should diet appropriately to lose weight.

⑥ The technique should be gentle, otherwise it will cause a rebound increase in blood pressure.

⑦ Massage therapy is suitable for patients with slow-onset stage I and II hypertension, and patients with malignant stage III hypertension, especially those with hypertensive encephalopathy, for whom drug treatment should be the mainstay.