High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
★Overview
Hypertension is a common chronic condition characterized by persistently elevated arterial blood pressure; it may be asymptomatic or cause dizziness, head fullness, headache, facial flushing, red eyes, tinnitus, insomnia, or palpitations. Chinese medicine groups it under dizziness and headache related to liver yang, arising from emotional or dietary imbalance, aging, and liver-kidney yin-yang disharmony; common patterns include liver yang ascending, phlegm-damp obstruction, liver-kidney yin deficiency, and static blood. TCM may serve as adjunctive support and does not replace standard antihypertensive treatment.
Pattern differentiation (clinical patterns)
Liver Yang Ascending
Dizziness, tinnitus, distending headache, flushed face, red eyes, irritability, bitter taste, poor sleep with dreams, red tongue with yellow coating, forceful wiry pulse.
Calm the liver and subdue yang; drain fire and extinguish wind.
Phlegm-Damp Obstructing the Middle
Dizziness with heavy cloudy head, chest oppression, nausea, poor appetite, excessive sleepiness, often overweight, greasy white coating, slippery pulse.
Transform phlegm and expel dampness; fortify the spleen and harmonize the stomach.
Connections
Daily care & prevention
Monitor blood pressure regularly and take prescribed medication on time—never stop or reduce it yourself. Reduce salt and saturated fat, eat vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, stop smoking, limit alcohol, manage weight, do regular aerobic exercise, and avoid emotional outbursts and sleep deprivation. Massage Taichong (LR3), Fengchi (GB20), Baihui (GV20), Quchi (LI11), and Hegu (LI4), with breathing relaxation.
When to seek medical care
Markedly elevated blood pressure with severe headache, blurred vision, chest pain, shortness of breath, limb weakness, facial droop, slurred speech, or altered consciousness may indicate hypertensive emergency or stroke—call emergency services immediately.