Acupressure for Low Blood Pressure: A TCM Guide to Naturally Raising Blood Pressure

Low blood pressure, or hypotension, is defined as a systolic reading of 90 mmHg or below and a diastolic reading of 60 mmHg or below. Common symptoms include dizziness, headache, tinnitus, insomnia, palpitations, weight loss, pale complexion, blurred vision, unsteady gait, general fatigue, poor appetite, and cold hands and feet.

Hypotension can be acute or chronic. Acute cases often accompany fainting or shock. Chronic cases may result from a thin constitution, sudden postural changes, endocrine dysfunction, chronic wasting diseases, malnutrition, cardiovascular conditions, or living at high altitudes. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), chronic hypotension is typically classified as a deficiency pattern, often due to spleen-stomach weakness, liver-kidney insufficiency, or qi and blood deficiency. While treating the root cause is essential and should be guided by a medical professional, the following acupressure techniques can serve as supportive methods to regulate and gently raise blood pressure.

References

Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic) discusses the relationship between qi and blood deficiency and symptoms such as dizziness and fatigue. Shanghan Lun (Treatise on Cold Damage) addresses conditions of collapse and deficiency. Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica) includes herbs that tonify qi and blood. Modern TCM textbooks on acupressure and reflexology also support these techniques as adjunctive therapy for hypotension.