A neck massage could save you from a heart attack, according to new research.

It can lower abnormally high blood pressure - without the need for any drugs.

At any one time one-in-10 people has neck pain - more than six million Brits - and three-quarters of the population will suffer it at some time in their lives.

The problem is continuing to grow because of changing lifestyles with people spending more time sitting down, working with computers, watching TV, playing video games and driving.

Now lab scientists have found that treating a stiff neck can do wonders for your blood pressure, a major cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Professor Jim Deuchars and colleagues at the University of Leeds say links between neck muscles and the brain play a crucial role in controlling blood pressure, heart rate and breathing - meaning manipulative treatments could be an excellent alternative to drugs.

The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, identified cells in the neck are connected to an area of the brain called the nucleus tractus solitarius that is pivotal in control of autonomic functions - body functions under unconscious control.

Traditionally, the causes of blood pressure have been linked to excess weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, dietary salt intake and nutrition patterns with low intake of fruit and vegetables and a high intake of saturated fat.

Prof Deuchars said: "Cells in the area that receive neck signals jumped out at us when we labelled sections with particular markers. We wanted to know how these cells were organised and the other brain regions to which they were connected."

The researchers say nervous signals from the neck may play a key role in ensuring that adequate blood supply is maintained to the brain as we change posture, such as from lying down to standing up. Where such signalling fails, we can suffer problems with balance and blood pressure.

Prof Deuchars said: "Reports from chiropractic journals say that manipulating the neck region helps to reduce blood pressure in some people.

"By identifying the pathways we can see why these treatments might work and it could also explain why some people suffering whiplash injuries may experience a change in their blood pressure.

"The work also contributes to understanding postural hypotension - fainting which can be caused by standing up too fast. The neck muscles could be a part of the system which normally prevents this from happening by sending signals to the brain upon neck movement that posture has changed."

The team say more research is now needed to see which sensory nerve fibres and precisely which cells are involved in the process.

They believe that there are many malfunctions associated with whiplash injuries to the neck that could be better understood by unravelling more connections, and lead to more effective treatments for such injuries

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