Blood Pressure
Did you know that your brainstem controls your blood pressure? The right side of your brain controls vessels on the right side of your body, while left controls left. I have been treating a man who suffered a stroke 10 years ago. He has been on high blood pressure medicine, Norvask, for many years.
He had a stroke in his upper right brain. Although he did not have a stroke in his right brain stem (lower brain), the brain stem was affected. Because the right upper brain sends signals to the right lower brain, the lower brain doesn't receive as many signals if you have had a stroke in the upper brain. As a result, when I examined this man 9 years after the stroke, I found that his right brain stem was deficient. This caused him to have trouble swallowing and speaking clearly.
Because he didn't have a stroke in the brain stem, I had hope that it would gain function quickly. Within 3 weeks, his speech was understandable and he was able to swallow. He now comes on a regular maintenance basis.
Over the course of several months, we noticed that his blood pressure was getting lower and lower. He reported to me last week that he no longer needs Norvask, as his blood pressure is in a normal range without it!
I do expect better brain stem stimulation to result in lower blood pressure, but I did not expect this man to say, "It's because of you that I'm not on drugs anymore!" I told him that it was his body doing the great work!