10/07/2025
Blood Pressure: The hidden, but real cause
As the weather cleared up, I decided to wash my car for the first time in a while. I was spraying water for a while, but suddenly the water pressure dropped, and the water wasn't coming out well. In such cases, the first thing to check is whether the water hose is twisted and blocked somewhere. Similarly, if there are symptoms related to blood circulation in the body, it's essential to examine whether there's any obstruction in the blood vessels.
Those who are interested in health and often keep up with health news may have heard about the relationship between wearing a necktie and conditions like hypertension, stroke, and vision problems. About ten years ago, there were studies conducted by university hospitals and research institutions focusing on the connection between neckties and hypertension, stroke, vision impairment, and glaucoma. The findings were widely reported in the media. In summary, when you tighten a necktie, it compresses the blood vessels that connect the heart and brain, leading to increased pressure in the blood vessels, brain, and eyes, which can cause hypertension, stroke, vision impairment, and glaucoma.
Just as a necktie compresses the blood vessels in the neck, causing an increase in blood pressure, similarly, when neck muscles tense up and compress the blood vessels, it can lead to hypertension, stroke, and vision impairment. However, there are still very few people who know that a stiff neck can lead to hypertension, stroke, vision impairment, or glaucoma.
When accidents occur or when poor posture puts strain on the neck, the muscles surrounding the neck tighten to support and bear the weight of the head. This muscle tension compresses the blood vessels and nerves around the neck and head, resulting in narrowed blood vessels and increased blood pressure. It's like squeezing a hose connected to a faucet, causing the pressure inside the hose to increase and the water stream to come out stronger.
When the neck is habitually bent or held in one position without movement, the weight of the head presses on the neck, causing the structure of the neck to gradually deform. As a result, the muscles gradually shorten and tense up. The problem is that these changes occur slowly, making it difficult to perceive symptoms. And if the condition worsens and symptoms appear, it's challenging to correct because the structure of the neck and muscles has been gradually deformed over time.
Tense neck muscles not only increase blood pressure but also increase intracranial pressure, leading to headaches, dizziness, stroke, cerebral hemorrhage, and can even increase eye pressure, causing vision loss or glaucoma. Since our body is connected through the spine and blood vessels passing through it, when the spine twists and the muscles tense up, it can gradually deteriorate bodily functions and lead to disease. However, it's difficult to objectively prove this, so the cause of the disease is often ignored, and only symptoms are managed with medication.
Therefore, rather than being swayed by the symptoms of the disease, we should focus on improving our health. We need to correct posture, regularly engage in exercises suitable for our body, and improve our diet. By gradually managing our body in this way, our body will naturally become healthier, and the symptoms that trouble us will improve. Of course, doing this alone can be challenging, so it's essential to seek help from a doctor. Just as a coach for athletes cannot participate in a match and win medals on their behalf, a doctor cannot cure a patient's illness on their behalf. Instead, just as athletes achieve good results in matches with the help of a good coach, patients can overcome illness with the help of a good doctor. Of course, the time it takes to recover and the degree of recovery vary depending on the individual.
