Acupuncture A technique of inserting and manipulating filiform needles into "acupuncture points" on the body with the aim of restoring health and well-being, e.g. treating pain and diseases.
Acupuncture for Horses
Equine acupuncture originated in China dating back to 2000-3000 BC. It is know as an ancient "Art of Healing". It was banned in China in the 19th century in favor of western medicine, it was later reinstated under Mao Tse Tung, and it is increasingly popular in the West. It is believed that the body has a constant flow of energy running through it via meridians. When illness is present the meridians have a blockage or imbalance of energy flow. The purpose of acupuncture is to locate and release the blockage and allow the continuity of energy to flow through the meridians. Within the past decade, the number of Western equine practitioners training and utilizing acupuncture has increased dramatically. The American Veterinary Medical Association and other well know equine organizations have recognized acupuncture as an alternative therapy for diagnosis and treatment of various medical conditions in horses.
Veterinarians specializing in acupuncture use this methodology to diagnose and treat a wide range of diseases involving multiple body systems including the musculoskeletal, neurologic, gastrointestinal, respiratory, reproductive, and cardiovascular systems. Once a diagnosis has been made veterinarians can use traditional medical treatments (western medicine) or continue with a treatment protocol using acupuncture techniques. In most instances a combination of western and eastern medicine is used for diagnosis and treatment. When acupuncture is used the professional strategically places needles at specific points in the body's energy channels, the body is then stimulated to increase the healing process. Each Chinese country commune has two vets, on practicing Western medicine, the other practicing acupuncture. Equine acupuncture using 20 cm (8-in) needles is strengthened by a mild cautery of herbs, either set at acupuncture points on the skin, or inserted beneath it by the needles.
One of the main advantages of having a veterinarian that is trained in both western and eastern veterinary medicine is that it gives the client more diagnostic and treatment options to choose from. Acupuncture has been used successfully in the horse to treat chronic back soreness and facial nerve paralysis. As more experience is gained with acupuncture in the horse the role of this methodology in the diagnosis and treatment of various disorders in the horse will be determined. It is also important for horse owners to realize that acupuncture should not be relied upon as the sole method of diagnosis and treatment of disease but as an adjunct to traditional and scientifically proven diagnostics and treatments. Albeit acupuncture has been present for hundreds of years, research is still being performed to locate new points and further understand the theory and science behind it. Clearly, there is much more to be learned about the role of acupuncture in the diagnosis and treatment of medical disorders in the horse.
