While high blood pressure or hypertension is a popular health problem all over the world, several people also suffer from low blood pressure. Low blood pressure health condition is very risky for health and causes even death. An optimal blood pressure reading is lower than 120 mm Hg and more than 80 mm Hg. The first number (80 mm Hg) shows the systolic pressure or the arteries pressure when the heart beats and accumulates blood.
The second number (120 mm Hg) represents the diastolic pressure which the arteries pressure when the heart rests in between beats. Hypertension or low blood pressure may lead to low blood flow to the brain, heart, and other important organs.
A sudden drop in blood pressure commonly occurs when a person suddenly gets up from a lying position or sitting position. It is called postural hypotension, and it may cause dizziness and light-headedness. There are some home remedies to follow low blood pressure that you can deal with the raised blood pressure symptoms. But, if you have been experiencing the following symptoms for some time, take your physician’s help and get a blood pressure test.
What Is Low Blood Pressure?
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Low blood pressure is also called hypotension. It is utilized to know sudden drops in the flow of blood in the organs of the body, which causes shock symptoms.
Here are the causes of a sudden drop in blood pressure are as follows:
Causes of Low Blood Pressure
Low blood pressure can happen with:
Prolonged bed rest
Pregnancy is another cause of common blood pressure drop in the first 24 weeks.
Lower blood volume: A lowered blood volume can also lead to blood pressure dropping. A significant blood loss from dehydration, major trauma, or severe inner bleeding lower blood volume, cause to drop in blood pressure.
Causes of Low Blood Pressure
Certain Medications
Different drugs can lead to low blood pressure, including diuretics and other medications that treat hypertension that as heart medications like beta-blockers, erectile dysfunction drugs, Parkinson’s disease, tricyclic antidepressants, specifically in combination with nitroglycerine and alcohol and narcotics.
Other prescription and different over-the-counter drugs may lead to low blood pressure when consumed in combination with hypertension medications.
Heart problems
Among heart problems that can cause low blood pressure is an abnormally decreased heart rate called bradycardia, problems with heart attack, heart valves, and heart failure. Your heart may be unable o circulate sufficient blood to meet the needs of the body.
Endocrine problems
Such problems include hormone production complications in the endocrine system of the body, particularly, an underactive thyroid, adrenal insufficiency, low blood sugar, adrenal insufficiency, and diabetes in some people.
Severe infection
Septic shock can happen when bacteria leave the original site of infection, which mostly happens in the abdomen, lungs, or urinary tract, and bloodstream. The bacteria then induce toxins that impact blood vessels and cause a profound and life-risking decline in blood pressure.
Allergic reaction
Anaphylactic shock is a risky allergic reaction that happens in people with high drug sensitivity like penicillin, to some foods like peanuts. This shock type is featured by hives, breathing problems, itching, sudden drop in blood pressure, and swollen throat.
Neutrally Interfered Hypotension
Different from orthostatic hypotension, this disorder leads to blood pressure dropping after standing for more time and causing symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and fainting. This condition impacts young people and happens because of a miscommunication between the brain and heart.
Nutritional deficiencies
Having low folic acid and vitamin B-12 can lead to anemia, which in turn can cause low blood pressure.
Here are the signs of low blood pressure
Fatigue
Fatigue is a complete feeling of tiredness or loss of energy. It is not similar to simply feeling sleepy or drowsy. When you are feeling fatigued, you have no energy or motivation. Being sleepy may be a sign of fatigue, but it is not a similar thing. Fatigue is a common sign of different medical conditions including low blood pressure.
Light-headedness
Lightheadedness is when you get faint. Your body may experience a heavy feeling while the head feels like it is not receiving sufficient blood. It is also called a reeling sensation. Lightheadedness may have a loss of balance and clouded vision.
While not always it is a cause of concern, lightheadedness can sometimes shows an underlying medical condition like low blood pressure.
Lightheadedness happens quickly from a seated to a standing point. This positional change can lead to lower blood flow in the brain. It can create a drop in blood pressure that makes you faint. You are more likely to feel this condition if you feel dehydrated because of insufficient fluid consumption or illness. This sensation may improve when you lie or sit back down.
Dizziness
Dizziness is another sign of low blood pressure. It is a feeling of woozy, light-headedness, and unbalanced. It impacts the sensory organs, particularly the ears and eyes, so, it can sometimes lead to fainting. Dizziness is not a disease, but rather a sign of different disorders.
Disequilibrium and vertigo may cause a feeling of dizziness, but those two terms tell the different symptoms. Vertigo is featured by a spinning sensation like the room is moving.
It may also feel like leaning to one side or motion sickness. Disequilibrium is loss of balance and fainting or light-headedness.
Nausea
Nausea is discomfort in the stomach and the vomiting sensation. Nausea can be a forebear to vomiting the contents of the stomach. The condition has different causes like low blood pressure.
Clammy skin
Clammy skin is sweaty or wet skin. Sweating is a normal response to overheating of the body. Body changes from extreme heat or exertion can induce sweat glands and lead to clammy skin. It is normal. However, that happens for any health condition like low blood pressure.
Loss of consciousness
It is a state of unable to respond to stimuli and feels asleep. They may be unconscious for some seconds like fainting or more time. People who get unconscious do not respond to shaking or loud sounds. They may even stop pulse or breathing. It calls for instant emergency attention. The sooner the person gets emergency first aid, the better they.
Blurry vision
Clear, sharp vision can get you the navigate the world, from getting traffic signs to assure you do not miss a step at home. Blurred vision can make you feel like someone has kept a filter on your eyes, and life has no focus.
If your blood pressure has lowered because of an underlying problem, it may result in the following symptoms and signs:
Orthostatic hypotension during sitting or standing may lower blood pressure.
Heart problems like a heart attack or chest pain.
Kidney disease has more creatinine and urea levels in the blood because of the low blood supply in the kidneys.
The shock leads to organs like kidneys, lungs, heart, or brain failing.
Once your physician confirms that your blood pressure is decreased, follow his advice and get medication if needed. A healthy low blood pressure diet is essential for a low blood pressure cure. Along with that, here are homely ways to maintain blood pressure.
Your blood pressure is the exerted force on the blood vessels walls by the blood circulating and it consists of breathing, heart rate, and body temperature. The blood pressure of a person is expressed as systolic or diastolic blood pressure.
The systolic blood pressure is a symbol of the pressure in the arteries when the muscles of the heart contract and pump the blood. The diastolic blood pressure is pressure representation in the arteries as the heart muscles relax following a contraction. The blood pressure will always rise when your heart is contracting one another while relaxing.
The systolic blood pressure of a healthy person ranges between 90-120 ml of mercury (mm Hg). Whereas, the diastolic reading of blood pressure ranges within 60-80 mm Hg. Therefore, your regular blood pressure should be less than 120/80. Blood pressure above 130/80 is considered high. Low blood pressure is shown signs rather than numbers. However, people with high blood pressure must be cautious if their blood pressure decreases to 100/60 or less.
It is necessary to manage the normal blood pressure range to prevent complications. If your blood pressure has been frequently low for some time, then it can be restored. You can easily get blood pressure at a normal range by following the natural curve given below.
Home Remedies To Treat Low Blood Pressure
Low Blood Pressure – Vitamins
Vitamin E and B12 can help in an effective way to increase low blood pressure. People with high bp should not use vitamin E. Vitamin B12 is used to cure anemia, which in turn helps with blood pressure.
To get sufficient quantities of these vitamins, you can eat spinach, almond, eggs, milk, sweet potatoes, cheese, and fish. You can also consume extra vitamin supplements under physician guidance.
Coffee
Raised coffee consumption is linked with a small reduction in hypertension, according to a 2017 review. The researchers discovered a 9% lowered risk when consuming 7-cups with a one percent lowered risk for every additional cup every day. A similar review recommended that beneficial synthesis in coffee, such as phenols, may have a saved effect. The researchers also remarked that genetic variation among individuals could impact how they metabolize caffeine. The presence of caffeine temporarily helps to increase low blood pressure.
You Will Need
- Coffee Powder – 1-2 teaspoons
- 1 cup water
How to Prepare?
Include 1-2 teaspoons of coffee powder in one cup of water.
Boil it in a saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes.
Make it cool before consuming.
How Often Should You Drink This?
Drink 2 cups of coffee every day.
Green Tea
It provides rich caffeine like coffee. The exact mechanism of how caffeine reduces blood pressure is not known. It is thought that it blocks a hormone responsible for making arteries widened.
Much smaller research shows that black tea and green tea do not affect blood pressure. Consuming green tea might help to increase the blood pressure in elder people who are experiencing low blood pressure after eating.
You Will Need
- Hot water -1 cup
- Green tea – 1 teaspoon
How to Prepare?
Add one teaspoon of green tea to one hot cup of water. Let it steep for 5-10 minutes and strain it.
How Often Should You Consume This?
You must have this green tea 2-3 times daily.
Rosemary Oil
Rosemary oil consists of camphor, which stimulates your blood circulation and respiratory system. Thus, rosemary oil is very beneficial for regulating normal blood pressure because of its antihypertensive nature.
You Will Need
Rosemary oil – 6 drops
Carrier oil – 1 tablespoon (coconut or olive oil)
How to Prepare?
Combine 6-drops of rosemary oil with 1-tablespoon of any carrier oil.
Massage the complete body with it and add rosemary oil to bath water or soak yourself in it.
How Often Should You Consume This?
Use it once a day.
Salt Water
The sodium presence in salt makes it the best remedy to increase blood pressure. However, you must skip overusing this remedy as more salt can be harmful to health.
You Will Need
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- One glass of water
How to Prepare?
Combine 1/2 teaspoon of salt in one glass of water.
Drink the saline solution.
How Often Should You Consume This?
Do this whenever you experience a sudden drop in blood pressure.
Ginseng
Very low doses of ginseng increase blood pressure in people experiencing hypotension. However, in high doses, it may raise blood pressure and be consumed in moderation.
You Will Need
- Ginseng tea – 1 teaspoon
- Water – 1 cup
- Honey
How to Prepare?
Include one teaspoon of ginseng tea in one cup of water.
Get it to boil in a saucepan.
Let it simmer for 5 minutes and get it strain.
Let the tea cool and include some honey in it.
Drink it up.
How Often Should You Consume This?
Drink this 2-3 times every day.
Holy Basil (Tulsi)
Tulsi or holy basil provides different benefits because of its therapeutic, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and adaptogenic properties. It also provides rich nutrients like magnesium, vitamin C, and potassium. The combined impact of these nutrients and all properties help to normalize low blood pressure.
You Will Need
- Holy basil leaves – 10-15
- Plant-based (bee free) honey – 1 teaspoon
How to Prepare?
Crush some 10-15 basil leaves
Take out the juice and combine one teaspoon of honey (bee free)
Consume this mix.
How Often Should You Consume This?
Consume it once every morning.
Licorice
Licorice root helps to regulate low blood pressure in people with hypotension.
You Will Need
- Licorice tea – 1 teaspoon
- Water – 1 cup
- Honey
What You Have To Do
Include one teaspoon of licorice tea in one cup of water.
Boil it and simmer for five minutes.
Strain the tea and cool it.
Include some honey in tea and consume it.
How Often Should You Consume This?
You must consume this tea 2-3 times a day.
Almond Milk
There is no saturated fat or cholesterol in almond milk. It provides healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids. Add this milk to low blood pressure diets such as cereals, and smoothies and enjoy the almond milk goodness.
Soak 5-6 almonds at night, peel them morning, and prepare a paste, then boil in milk. Drink this daily to prevent low blood pressure.
Makkah
Another food that increases blood circulation, which again helps to normalize low blood pressure. You can soak some raisins overnight and boil them the next morning with milk to have in breakfast.
Prevention Tips
- Follow a healthy diet with high salt food.
- Drink more fluids like water and fruit juices.
- Stay hydrated when the weather is hot.
- Reduce alcohol consumption.
- Workout normally to boost blood flow.
- Take precautions while standing or sitting by pumping ankle or feet to skip a sudden blood pressure drop.
- Raise the head of the bed during sleeping.
- Avoid lifting heavy objects
- Avoid hot water exposure for a long time.
- Eat smaller and more frequent meals.
Diet Chart
Best Foods That Improve Blood Pressure
Eat foods with vitamin B12 and nutritional foods.
Foods containing high folates like liver, asparagus, and garbanzo beans.
Eat salty foods like cottage cheese, canned soup, and olives.
Caffeine can also help to increase blood pressure for some time.
Foods To Avoid
- Pasta
- Potatoes
- White bread
- White rice
- Sugar
- Alcohol
- Cakes and candies
Taking the important precautions and following the diet and remedies can benefit to prevent further complications. The above remedies are beneficial in emergency times.
How to Determined Blood Pressure?
Different factors affect blood pressure. Blood vessel wall and blood volume behavior are two essential determinants of blood pressure. The more blood pumped with every heartbeat, the raised blood pressure. The presence of narrow or stiff artery walls that resist blood flow also elevates the blood pressure. Getting lower blood volume and open, and increase the flexibility of arteries lower blood pressure.
How Does the Body Control Normal Blood Pressure?
Baroreceptors are tiny nerve cells with arteries near the heart that benefit to regulate blood pressure. The baroreceptors signal with the arteries, kidneys, veins, and heart to raise, lower, or manage blood pressure. The function of the baroreceptors is to assure that enough blood reaches the tissues and organs of the body.
Baroreceptor Signals Transmitted to the Heart
If blood pressure becomes lower, baroreceptors signal to the heart to tell beat faster and pump extra blood every minute. The result is blood flow raise and blood pressure elevate.
Baroreceptor Signals to the Veins
If the blood pressure becomes higher, baroreceptors transmit signals to the veins telling them to extend and store extra blood and return low blood to the heart. The result is the flow of blood is lower and blood pressure becomes less. Conversely, veins can become narrow and go back to more blood to the heart, which raises blood pressure.
Baroreceptor Signals to the Arteries
When blood pressure is too high or too low baroreceptors send signals to arteries to get into a more appropriate level. Baroreceptors tell arteries to constrict when blood pressure is lower to help increase too high to help lower blood pressure.
Baroreceptor Signals Transmitted to the Kidneys
Kidneys are also responsible for blood pressure regulation by controlling urine production. When kidneys pull extra water out of the blood, the pressure lowers. When the kidneys lower urine output, water remains in the blood, and the blood pressure rises. The kidneys are responsible for slow down blood pressure and acting over hours to days. Compared to baroreceptor control and different system that affect blood pressure quickly.
Is Low Blood Pressure Risky for Health?
Lower blood pressure is linked with a low risk of health conditions like strokes, heart disease, kidneys disease, and stroke. Those who work out regularly, non-smokers, athletes, and those people who manage an optimal body weight get low blood pressure. Lower blood pressure is the best thing as long as it does not affect health or damage organs and tissues in the body meaning occasion low blood pressure.
What Other Conditions Lead to Low Blood Pressure?
In rare cases, a fungal or bacterial infection from another part of the body enters the blood. This type of infection is named septicemia. It is a potential life-risking problem. It may also lower blood pressure called septic shock that may affect organs. Septicemia may result from pneumonia, diverticulitis, urinary tract infection, and other infection.
Other Conditions of Low Blood Pressure?
Some people experience severe or life-risking, and allergic reactions, bee stings, anaphylaxis, and antibiotics. The allergic cascade results in the substance release to fight the affecting agent. It causes a drastic drop in blood pressure, but anaphylactic effects are rare.
How to Diagnosed Low Blood Pressure?
Your physician may measure the blood pressure of the patient while standing up and lying down to diagnose the low blood pressure. People with low blood pressure may feel dizziness and lightheadedness while standing up. Heart rate often raises to compensate for the low blood pressure. After doing a diagnosis of low blood pressure, the doctor may identify the problem cause. Sometimes the cause of low blood pressure may be easily available, such as wound bleeding, but most of the time the physician may require to order the tests to uncover the cause of the low blood pressure.
How Is Low Blood Pressure Treated?
Who feels low blood pressure should check with a physician. Even if low blood pressure does not lead to any symptoms, the patient should check with a physician. The low blood pressure treatment may vary based on the cause.
If the patient is taking blood pressure medication for the treatment, then the dose of the may require to adjust. The fluid loss from vomiting or diarrhea may also cause blood pressure drop.