Equine Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one type of the medicine and been practiced for more than 3000 years. This was first developed its roots in Tibet and then spread all over the world. During the early days it was called as the wonder medicine. Practitioners considered this practice as the magic because they cure pains and diseases just by sticking the patients with some needles. Physicists realized that it as the part of medicine that includes herbs, exercise, massage and medication. Today this treatment is treated as a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This treatment works wonders for humans as well as for animals. Equine acupuncture involves treating horses by making use of ancient Chinese acupuncture techniques.
Equine acupuncture is the therapy used to cure the horses with the help of acupuncture therapy. Today equine acupuncture has been equipped with various methods. These methods comprise of simple insertion of needles, using injections, electro acupuncture, laser and moxibustion, and ultra sound. However, the most common method is of inserting the needles that are traditional Acupressure needles. Usually these needles are very fine and weight of the needles is around 28gm to 35gm. These needles are solid as well as filiform.
While treating the horses they are injected at various points that creates blister which disappear within the time period of 10 minutes and within this time period it stimulates the pressure over acupressure points. However, a hypodermic of the horses is quite stiff and when the muscles contracts needles quite easily gets breaks. In this therapy, bleeding and pain are common as the needles used are quite sharp. For this traditional acupuncture, needles have to be built for tolerance.
These needles are also easy for EAP. In this treatment needles works as the electrodes and electric current is passed through it. This is the effective way to control pain and produces higher level of stimulation than manual process. This reduces the time required during the treatment.
In the laser treatment, the penetration of the needles is much lower. Generally, most of the acupuncture point needs quite deep penetration of the needles that ranges from about an inch to a half to five inches. Yet study has proven that effect of the laser therapy is useful in the area where deep penetration is needed around 1/2"to 3/4". Many of the equine physicists found laser as the safe option for treatment. Though this treatment is common in the equine physicists treatments is coasty, especially for invisible lasers.
Another type of the treatment is moxibustion popular in East. This theory accupoints are heated and the burning herbs above the skin of the point. In this treatment moxa sticks are used that are made of the dried leaves of herbs called Artemesia Vuloagaris. Generally, these sticks are placed over the needles and burnt to stimulate the point. This method is rarely used in the equines as it can irritate the horses with unpleasant smells.
There are many types of the acupuncture techniques, which can give relief to the horses. Majority horses face the problems of chronic back pains. Along with such diseases, acupuncture treatments are also useful to cure the disorders like musculoskeletal and neurological conditions as well as gastro intestinal disorders.