alternative medicine also called integrative or complementary medicine features the use of non-traditional (in the western world) techniques for treatment. for example self-relaxation approaches to the therapy of hypertension include yoga biofeedback and meditation. these techniques can be effective in lowering the blood pressure at least temporarily. in order to produce sustained reductions in the blood pressure these techniques may require hours of diligent adherence daily. they are generally practical only for a few highly motivated individuals with hypertension. acupuncture has not yet been established as a standard or proven therapy for hypertension in the western world. certain herbal remedies have blood pressure-lowering components that may well be effective in treating hypertension. most herbal remedies are available as food supplements and the food and drug administration (fda) does not approve them as drugs. therefore herbal treatments for hypertension have not yet been adequately evaluated in scientifically controlled clinical trials for effectiveness and safety. in particular their long-term side effects are unknown. a major problem with most herbal treatments is that their contents are not standardized. the ways in which herbal treatments work to lower blood pressure are not known and currently herbal remedies are usually not recommended for the treatment of hypertension.
is alternative medicine used to treat high blood pressure?