The sun shone bright on that day, as I measured his blood pressure. It was a staggering 180/100. The numbers were getting scarier by the day. As a doctor, I knew hypertension was a silent killer. It could lead to grave complications like heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions.
Curious, I asked him when he had last checked his BP. He replied, “Yesterday night.” With a sigh of relief, I asked him, “What was the reading?” He replied, “120/80 sir.” I was baffled. How could his BP rise so high in a matter of hours?
He then told me that he had tried Jalaneti, and his BP had shot up. Jalaneti was a practice of cleansing the nasal passages with warm saline water. I had written a blog about it, and he had followed my instructions. However, this was something that had never happened before. He was worried, and so was I.
Three days ago, he had accompanied his mother to my clinic in perfect health. After his mother’s consultation, he asked me about Jalaneti. I gave him some tips and sent them away with a smile. His mother had laughed at his eagerness to try this new regime.
Now, he was panicking. I asked him if he was hypertensive. He replied with a firm no. I was confused. Why was he checking his BP if he was not hypertensive? He replied, “I am scared. I thought my BP may go up.” His answer didn’t make sense.
I probed further and found out that he had a history of white coat syndrome. Whenever he visited a doctor, his BP shot up. But, when he was at home, his BP was normal. His mother revealed that he was an anxious child. His father used to beat him, and going to the doctor was a constant threat that he pulled to make him listen to his dad.
Now, as an adult, that fear had stuck with him. I referred him to a nearby yoga center and explained to him the condition of white coat syndrome. It is quite common, and not many people know about it. While it is not harmful, studies show that it can increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and other cardiovascular conditions.
Pranayama, yoga, and mind control are the best ways to take control of white-coat hypertension. It is imperative to understand that hypertension is a serious condition that requires timely medical intervention. If you suffer from hypertension, make sure you get it checked regularly, whether at home or at the clinic. And, if you suffer from white coat syndrome, take control of your mind, and do not let fear rule over you.
