Treating Neurogenic Hypertension

In a recent article in the New York Times, Jane Brody cites work by Dr. Samuel J. Mann, a hypertension specialist at Will-Cornell Medical College. It is important to understand the underlying causes of hypertension in order to treat it properly.

Here is a link to the article from January 28, 2013.

In addition to salt-sensitive hypertension and that driven by a kidney hormone, there is a category of hypertension that is neurogenic. According to Dr. Mann, many patients with this kind of hypertension may outwardly appear calm, but beneath the surface is significant emotional disturbance. He found many had suffered early trauma or abuse.

Needless to say, while medication may be the medically necessary form of treatment for the immediate symptoms, the larger work of treating the underlying cause is also in order.

I am reminded of Jung's observation: "We are still as much possessed by autonomous as if they were Olympians.  Today they are called phobias, obsessions, and so forth; in a word, neurotic symptoms.  The gods have become diseases; Zeus no longer rules Olympus but rather the solar plexus, and produces curious specimens for the doctor’s consulting room..." (from the Collected Works, Vol 13, par. 54)