Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2026

Quantitative Autonomic Testing
Published on: July 19, 2011
Blood pressure response to acupuncture in a population at risk for autonomic dysreflexia
A Averill1, A C Cotter, S Nayak
1Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, East Orange, NJ, USA.
Objective:
To determine whether acupuncture can lead to autonomic dysreflexia (AD) when used to treat chronic pain in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Design:
Acupuncture analgesia study.
Setting:
Medical rehabilitation research center.
Participants:
Fifteen participants with post-SCI chronic pain who were at risk for AD (ie, SCI at or above T8).
Interventions:
Half-hour acupuncture treatment sessions twice a week for 7.5 weeks, for a total of 15 treatments. Acupuncture needles were inserted both above and below the patient's spinal lesion level. Blood pressure (BP) was measured before and after acupuncture treatments.
Main Outcome Measures:
Systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP). Participants monitored for signs and symptoms of AD.
Results:
On average, SBP and DBP remained stable across all 15 treatment sessions. None of the participants experienced any symptoms of AD. However, examination of individuals' BP readings indicated acute elevations (20 mmHg or higher) in SBP for 3 of the 15 participants.
Conclusions:
Although none of the 15 participants who were at risk for developing AD developed symptoms consistent with this diagnosis, 3 displayed an acute elevation in SBP, suggesting a pattern of imminent AD. Comorbid hypertension appeared to contribute to the elevation in 1 patient. Therefore, careful monitoring of patients with SCI or hypertension during acupuncture treatments is advisable.
More Related Videos
06:51Development of an Algorithm to Perform a Comprehensive Study of Autonomic Dysreflexia in Animals with High Spinal Cord Injury Using a Telemetry Device
Published on: July 29, 2016
03:05Influence of Emotional Factors on the Efficacy of Acupuncture Treatment for Overweight Complicated with Hyperlipidemia: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Published on: November 21, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Blood Pressure
The average BP in an adult is typically around 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). In this measurement, the numerator (120) indicates the systolic pressure, which is the pressure in the arteries during the contraction of the heart's ventricles as blood is expelled. The denominator (80) represents the diastolic...
Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(one-step method)
Prepare for the Procedure:
Assessment of blood pressure in brachial artery(two-step method)
Special considerations while measuring blood pressure
Monitoring Both Arms:
Monitoring BP in both arms during the initial assessment is advisable, as the systolic value may differ by five to ten mm Hg between arms. For subsequent BP assessments, use the arm with the higher reading.
Pre-Procedural Guidelines for Assessing Blood Pressure
Hypertension and Regulation of Blood Pressure