What is Low Blood Pressure or Orthostatic Hypotension?
Symptoms of Orthostatic Hypotension
- dizziness or lightheartedness when standing up
- some people may have:
- blurred vision
- nausea
- disorientation of confusion
- a week feeling or fatigue
- fainting and/or falling
- chest pains
- blurred vision
How is Orthostatic Hypotension Diagnosed?
- If a doctor thinks that you have low blood pressure, you might be asked to have your blood pressure checker in a sitting, lying, and upright position
- a physical exam in order to try and pin point the cause of the low blood pressure
- other test may include:
- blood test for anemia or diabetes
- electrocardiogram (EKG) for heart rhythm
- Holter monitor (a portable device that you wear for a period of time to check your heart rhythm)
- echocardiogram (ultrasound examination of the heart)
- stress test (the doctor measures your heart rate while you exercise)
- valsalva maneuver (you take several deep breathes while the doctor checks you blood pressure and heart rate)
- tilt table test (if you are prone to fainting, you will lie down on a table that is moved from horizontal to upright, and the doctor questions if you experience fainting)
- blood test for anemia or diabetes
How do we treat Orthostatic Hypotension?
- Certain medications may be causing your low blood pressure
- your doctor will adjust your dosage if this is the case
- In many cases, you can treat orthostatic hypotension by making changes to your daily life. These may include:
- if you are dehydrated, drinking more fluids
- limiting alcohol, which causes dehydration
- standing up more slowly when getting up of a chair or from a lying position
- sitting on the edge of your bed for a few minutes after getting up and before standing up
- not crossing your legs when sitting
- if bedridden, sitting up in bed for short periods of time
- isometric exercises before assuming an upright position
- these exercises will raise your blood pressure before standing up
- for example, squeezing a rubber or towel for a few minutes
- compression stockings will apply pressure to the legs and help circulation
- raising the head of your bed
- avoiding prolonged standing
- medication that increases blood volume or constricts blood vessels may be prescribed
- fludrocortisone (Florinef)
- midodring (ProAmatine) or
- erythropoietin (Epogen, Procrit)
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_orthostatic_hypotension
How Pawanmuktasana Can Help Us Care for Orthostatic Hypertension! :-)
Pawanmuktasana is also associated with a series of simple movements that will warm the mind and body for more complex postures. They also resemble, sometimes exactly, what people in the west would consider physical therapy. My teacher Karres Cvetkovich's guru, Swami Satyananda Saraswati is the founder of the Bihar School of Yoga where this particular style of yoga comes from. In my experience I would consider this style a gentle meditative yoga with minimal physical demands. You can read more about the Bihar School of Yoga and the Pawanmuktasana series here: http://www.yogabasics.com/connect/pawanmuktasana-heal-the-body-humble-the-ego/
Cautions
- Avoid practicing Pawanmuktasana if
- you suffer from
- high blood pressure
- heart problems
- hyperacidity
- hernia
- slipped disc
- testicle disorder
- neck problems
- back problems
- If you are
- in the second trimester of pregnancy
- menstrating
- you suffer from
- Lye on your back similar to being in Savasana ( Learn more about Savasana and its benifits here: http://forselflove.weebly.com/blog/january-10th-2016 )
- Exhale and bring your knees as close to your forehead as possible.
- Clasp the hands over the upper shins, and rest your forehead on your knees.
- Hold in this position for a few deep breathes or as many as you would like.
- Pull your abdomen into a crunch as much as you can, squeezing your upper and lower body together.
- Exhale, and release to the Savasana position and relax
- Option.
- You can do this with one knee at a time.
- You can rock from side to side and back and forth when crunching both knees in for a nice massage of the lower back and spine.
I hope this article has provided you with some useful knowledge about how to identify and treat low blood pressure for yourself and the one's you love. Seek medical attention if you are hurting physically to an unreasonable measure. Make sure that you are honest with yourself, letting go of stubbornness. Otherwise you risk short term or long term injury. If you are not able to do this ask someone that you feel will be honest with you, who cares about your well being. Always be very careful when addressing bodily injury.
If there is ever anything that you would like to hear about please let me know in the comments area here or on the Facebook group “For the Love of Self.” I am always happy to hear comments on how to improve or to hear what you enjoyed about the current article. May your low blood be relieved! :-) Have a wonderful week! Do your best to take care of your blood pressure, so that you might be happy, healthy, and productive throughout your days! Aaron Szczurek <3 :-)