Identification

• Massage therapy is a natural and easy way to manage and handle high blood pressure. A consistent, regular massage regimen is capable of lowering both systolic and diastolic blood pressures, lowering urinary and salivary cortisol stress hormones and decreasing negative emotions and feelings such as anxiety, depression, agitation and hostility.
  
  

Function

• Medical massage is often referred to as "soft tissue mobilization method." This type of massage results in the blood flow speeding up as well as lymphatic drainage. This causes mechanical breakdown of the calcium deposits in soft tissue.
  
  

Benefits

• The goal of medical massage therapy is to ease pains and aches that are often associated with high blood pressure. Some of these pains and aches include headache, upper backache and neck pain. They also help to increase the range of motion and lower blood pressure in general.
  
  

Frequency

• If you wish to improve your blood pressure, get a medical massage twice a week, for half an hour at a time. The massage sessions should be relaxing and calming; begin with deep breathing and stretching exercises to maximize the benefit.
  
  

Warning

• If you are suffering from high blood pressure but are not presently taking medicine for it, consult with your physician before attempting medical massage therapy, due to the fact that massages work to raise the blood flow--which could potentially result in severe problems, such as the distension of the blood vessel walls and severe bleeding in the case of an accident.