The October 15, 2015, issue of the Dynamic Chiropractic Magazine reported on a new study showing that both blood pressure and pulse rate are lowered after specific chiropractic adjustments. The original study was published in the June 2015 issue of the Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies.

This study was unique as it was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) which looked at the results from three separate groups of participants. The three authors of this study, none of whom were chiropractors, were part of a collaboration of professionals from the U.S. and Malaysia.

Study participants were screened to rule out any other factors that might affect the results. All participants were 18 years of age or older, did not have any serious condition or cancer, did not have any recent injuries, were not on any medications or drugs, and did not have an arm or leg prosthetic device.

The participants were randomly divided into one of three groups. One group was a control group in which no chiropractic procedures were given. The second group was the placebo group and were given fake chiropractic adjustments. This was accomplished by setting the adjustment instrument to zero so no force was applied when the instrument was triggered. The third group received a real adjustment using the same instrument with a setting that would deliver a force and create an adjustment.

All participants in each of the three groups had their blood pressures taken using a “digital oscillometric sphygmomanometer” to eliminate variations in how the reading were taken. Readings of BP and pulse rate were taken three times on each participant. The first time was after the participants’ history was taken and a 15 minute period. The second reading was later just prior to the real adjustment, the fake adjustment, or an equivalent time in the control group. The third reading was taken immediately after the procedure.

The results showed that only the group that received the real adjustment showed any change with both systolic and diastolic BP decreasing approximately 7 percent. Additionally, only the group that received the real adjustment showed a significant decrease in pulse rate.

Since this study ruled out all other external factors, and since the data collected was by individuals who did not render the procedures, this study represents the purest form of evidence that a chiropractic adjustment has a positive effect on blood pressure and pulse rate. Adding this study to the already existing body of evidence shows that chiropractic can help normalize blood pressure. This should help change public perception that medications are not the only option for correcting blood pressure issues.