Complementary Therapy
Acupuncture
What is Acupuncture and when is its use indicated?
Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles through the skin at particular locations (acupuncture points or trigger points) to cause a therapeutic response. The response in the body can differ between patients but common effects can include pain relief, promotion of microcirculation, anti-inflammatory effects, and immune system and gastrointestinal regulation.
Acupuncture is commonly used for the relief of musculoskeletal pain and is commonly used for many types of muscle soreness of the neck, back, pelvis and hindlimbs. There are a few scenarios when it should not be used and these include wounds and infectious conditions, fractures or tumours.
How does it work?
The body responds to acupuncture with a mild local inflammation reaction and a subsequent immune, hormonal and nerve response. Local blood flow is increased in the area and muscles and tissues in the area relax and pain in the region is reduced.
How many treatments are needed?
The number of treatments required depends on the severity and nature of the problem. Generally, needles are left in place for 5-30 minutes and 3-5 treatments are often recommended. Many horses respond well but occasionally some don’t show much of a clinical improvement. However, it can take a few treatments to see improvements, particularly in chronic painful conditions.
There is now compelling evidence that acupuncture is both a safe and effective technique for pain relief in horses that can be combined with conventional medicine. It is tolerated well in the majority of horses and can provide a drug-free option to treat musculoskeletal pain and enhance equine performance.
Shockwave Treatment
- Extracorporeal shockwaves are focused, high-velocity acoustic waves that exert direct and indirect mechanical forces on bone, soft tissue and muscle.
- This has been shown to increase blood flow, stimulate bone turnover, reduce inflammation, promote healing and provide analgesia (pain relief). Shockwave can be usueful adjunctive treatment for various ligament and back problems.
- At Scott Dunns we use a Neovet shockwave machine which has a focused wave to penetrates deep structures such as sacroiliac joints and deep back muscles. The focused nature of the beam makes it more accurate for kissing spines / interspinous ligament treatment in large horses.