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It's Official!
Yes it's official and it's all over the papers: -
| Massage is good for your heart. |
And that's not the only benefit...
HOW A PAIN IN THE NECK COULD BE BAD FOR YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
| Adapted from articles in the Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail |
| Do you enjoy massage? If you do, here is some good news. |
PLEASANT WAY TO PREVENT HEART ATTACKS
For many of us, it is the best way to unwind after a hard day's work. But scientists believe a
regular neck massage could also prove a life-saver. It can lower abnormally high blood pressure
and reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease - without the need for any drugs.
High blood pressure, which often shows no symptoms, doubles the risk of dying from one of the
conditions. But a chance discovery in the lab helped University of Leeds scientists to show how the
treatment for a stiff neck could do wonders for your blood pressure.
Chiropractors have long known that tackling pain and stiffness by 'cracking' the neck through
manipulation can also lower blood pressure but the reasons were never clear.
Now a team led by Professor Jim Deuchars has examined pathways between the neck and the
brain to show how the neck muscles could play a crucial role in controlling blood pressure, heart
rate and breathing. They found that signals from the neck play a key role in helping the brain
maintain blood pressure, heart rate and breathing when we change posture, for instance by
standing up.
Their study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, provides the first evidence for a role for
these connections in influencing brain regions, which control body functions that we don't need to
think about, such as breathing and blood pressure. When these signals stop - perhaps because the
neck is stiff and not being moved - we can suffer from problems with blood pressure and balance.
The area of the brain where the signals from the neck terminate were first identified by
“Godfather of Neuroscience” Ramon Y Cajal, more than 100 years ago, though its function was not
understood. What happened after these signals arrived remained a largely-overlooked area of
research until new techniques allowed the Leeds team to take the work forward.
Their work began by chance, as Prof Deuchars explained: “Cells in the area that receive neck
signals jumped out at us when we labelled sections with particular markers. We wanted to know
how these cells were organised and the other brain regions to which they were connected.”
The team, which includes researchers from Japan and Hungary, found a link between these cells
and the nucleus tractus solitarius, an area of the brain that is pivotal in control of autonomic
functions - body functions under unconscious control. They propose that nervous signals from the
neck could play a key role in ensuring that adequate blood supply is maintained to the brain as we
change posture, such as from lying down to standing up. Where such signalling fails, we can suffer
problems with balance and blood pressure.
The findings offer a clear rationale for manipulative treatments: “Reports from chiropractic
journals say that manipulating the neck region helps to reduce blood pressure in some people,”
Prof Deuchars explained. “By identifying the pathways we can see why these treatments might
work and it could also explain why some people suffering whiplash injuries may experience a
change in their blood pressure.”
PREVALENCE
At any one time one-in-10 people has neck pain - often caused by stress affects more than six
million Brits - and three-quarters of the population will suffer it at some time in their lives. High
blood pressure claims 60,000 lives a year and is becoming more common as we work longer
hours and eat more fatty and salty food, and because of changing lifestyles with people spending
more time sitting down, working with computers, watching TV, playing video games and driving.
(Traditionally, the causes of blood pressure have been linked to excess weight, alcohol
consumption, physical inactivity, dietary salt intake and nutrition patterns with low intake of fruit
and vegetables and a high intake of saturated fat). In April 2007, the London School of Economics
warned the stress of modern life could lead to an epidemic of heart disease, with half of Britons
suffering from high blood pressure by 2025.
This breakthrough could also explain why those with whiplash injuries can experience a change in
their blood pressure. It also contributes to the understanding of postural hypotension – fainting,
which can be caused by moving the head too fast e.g. from lying down to standing up. The neck
muscles could be part of the system that normally prevents this from happening by sending
signals to the brain upon neck movement that posture has changed. The researchers say nervous
signals from the neck may play a key role in ensuring that adequate blood supply is maintained to
the brain as we change posture, Where such signalling fails, we can suffer problems with balance
and blood pressure.
The work may also contribute to understanding postural hypotension – fainting which can be
caused by standing up too fast. The neck muscles could be a part of the system which normally
prevents this from happening by sending signals to the brain upon neck movement that posture
has changed.”
More research is now needed to see which sensory nerve fibres and precisely which cells are
involved in the process.
Amongst other things, the team would now like to know what other brain regions the neck muscle
termination site connects to. They believe that there are many malfunctions associated with
whiplash injuries to the neck that could be better understood by unravelling these connections.
They hope that this knowledge could be used to design more effective treatments for such injuries.
For further information:
Jim Deuchars is Professor of Systems Neuroscience in the University of Leeds’s Institute of
Membrane and Systems Biology, based in the Faculty of Biological Sciences. There is more about
his work at: http://www.fbs.leeds.ac.uk/staff/profile.php?tag=Deuchars_J
The original article was published by the Journal of Neuroscience, 115, 495-510,
http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/27/31/8324 (Requires a subscription to the Journal)
For many of us, it is the best way to unwind after a hard day's work. But scientists believe a
regular neck massage could also prove a life-saver. It can lower abnormally high blood pressure
and reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease - without the need for any drugs.
High blood pressure, which often shows no symptoms, doubles the risk of dying from one of the
conditions. But a chance discovery in the lab helped University of Leeds scientists to show how the
treatment for a stiff neck could do wonders for your blood pressure.
Chiropractors have long known that tackling pain and stiffness by 'cracking' the neck through
manipulation can also lower blood pressure but the reasons were never clear.
Now a team led by Professor Jim Deuchars has examined pathways between the neck and the
brain to show how the neck muscles could play a crucial role in controlling blood pressure, heart
rate and breathing. They found that signals from the neck play a key role in helping the brain
maintain blood pressure, heart rate and breathing when we change posture, for instance by
standing up.
Their study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, provides the first evidence for a role for
these connections in influencing brain regions, which control body functions that we don't need to
think about, such as breathing and blood pressure. When these signals stop - perhaps because the
neck is stiff and not being moved - we can suffer from problems with blood pressure and balance.
The area of the brain where the signals from the neck terminate were first identified by
“Godfather of Neuroscience” Ramon Y Cajal, more than 100 years ago, though its function was not
understood. What happened after these signals arrived remained a largely-overlooked area of
research until new techniques allowed the Leeds team to take the work forward.
Their work began by chance, as Prof Deuchars explained: “Cells in the area that receive neck
signals jumped out at us when we labelled sections with particular markers. We wanted to know
how these cells were organised and the other brain regions to which they were connected.”
The team, which includes researchers from Japan and Hungary, found a link between these cells
and the nucleus tractus solitarius, an area of the brain that is pivotal in control of autonomic
functions - body functions under unconscious control. They propose that nervous signals from the
neck could play a key role in ensuring that adequate blood supply is maintained to the brain as we
change posture, such as from lying down to standing up. Where such signalling fails, we can suffer
problems with balance and blood pressure.
The findings offer a clear rationale for manipulative treatments: “Reports from chiropractic
journals say that manipulating the neck region helps to reduce blood pressure in some people,”
Prof Deuchars explained. “By identifying the pathways we can see why these treatments might
work and it could also explain why some people suffering whiplash injuries may experience a
change in their blood pressure.”
PREVALENCE
At any one time one-in-10 people has neck pain - often caused by stress affects more than six
million Brits - and three-quarters of the population will suffer it at some time in their lives. High
blood pressure claims 60,000 lives a year and is becoming more common as we work longer
hours and eat more fatty and salty food, and because of changing lifestyles with people spending
more time sitting down, working with computers, watching TV, playing video games and driving.
(Traditionally, the causes of blood pressure have been linked to excess weight, alcohol
consumption, physical inactivity, dietary salt intake and nutrition patterns with low intake of fruit
and vegetables and a high intake of saturated fat). In April 2007, the London School of Economics
warned the stress of modern life could lead to an epidemic of heart disease, with half of Britons
suffering from high blood pressure by 2025.
This breakthrough could also explain why those with whiplash injuries can experience a change in
their blood pressure. It also contributes to the understanding of postural hypotension – fainting,
which can be caused by moving the head too fast e.g. from lying down to standing up. The neck
muscles could be part of the system that normally prevents this from happening by sending
signals to the brain upon neck movement that posture has changed. The researchers say nervous
signals from the neck may play a key role in ensuring that adequate blood supply is maintained to
the brain as we change posture, Where such signalling fails, we can suffer problems with balance
and blood pressure.
The work may also contribute to understanding postural hypotension – fainting which can be
caused by standing up too fast. The neck muscles could be a part of the system which normally
prevents this from happening by sending signals to the brain upon neck movement that posture
has changed.”
More research is now needed to see which sensory nerve fibres and precisely which cells are
involved in the process.
Amongst other things, the team would now like to know what other brain regions the neck muscle
termination site connects to. They believe that there are many malfunctions associated with
whiplash injuries to the neck that could be better understood by unravelling these connections.
They hope that this knowledge could be used to design more effective treatments for such injuries.
For further information:
Jim Deuchars is Professor of Systems Neuroscience in the University of Leeds’s Institute of
Membrane and Systems Biology, based in the Faculty of Biological Sciences. There is more about
his work at: http://www.fbs.leeds.ac.uk/staff/profile.php?tag=Deuchars_J
The original article was published by the Journal of Neuroscience, 115, 495-510,
http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/27/31/8324 (Requires a subscription to the Journal)
Active Recovery has relocated to new premises, the Gaia Centre for Holistic Therapy in Frederick
Street (see location page), in order to provide opportunities for local therapists to offer a wider
range of therapies to our clientele. It is also the base from which the Active School of
Complementary Therapy (ASCT) will now operate. For further information on the practitioners
and range of therapies on offer please visit the Gaia Centre web site (click here).
Street (see location page), in order to provide opportunities for local therapists to offer a wider
range of therapies to our clientele. It is also the base from which the Active School of
Complementary Therapy (ASCT) will now operate. For further information on the practitioners
and range of therapies on offer please visit the Gaia Centre web site (click here).
Active relocates
| © Copyright 2008 - Active Recovery - All Rights Reserved. The Gaia Centre for Holistic Therapy, 17 Frederick Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3BH email: clinic@activerecovery.co.uk Tel: 01509 556101 |
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Team GB Support
Following her selection in 2008 to support the GB Swimming Squad at their pre Olympic training
camp in Osaka, (Japan) and during the Olympic Games in Beijing, Kirsty has provided therapy
support for the team at the 2009 World Swimming Championships in Rome. She will also be
providing therapy for the GB Speed Skating squad later this year.
camp in Osaka, (Japan) and during the Olympic Games in Beijing, Kirsty has provided therapy
support for the team at the 2009 World Swimming Championships in Rome. She will also be
providing therapy for the GB Speed Skating squad later this year.