Neck therapy causing jump in blood pressure.

Q: When I have my stiff neck worked on by a therapist, it sets my stomach gurgling and my therapist tells me this comes from the Vegus (sp) nerve, which affects the stomach. After treatment, my blood pressure jumps 50 points, both diastolic and systolic. The next day it is back to normal. Do I need to stop my neck therapy?

A: It sounds like your therapist is putting pressure on the vagus nerve. This nerve runs from your head into your abdomen. Putting pressure on the vagal nerve will slow your heart rate. Once the pressure is relieved, the heart speeds up and blood pressure can go up. You might want to suggest your therapist apply less pressure to the area in your neck where the nerve is located since you are getting a significant blood pressure change. For a detailed medical description and information about the vagus nerve, view this video on YouTube.com.