Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been around for several thousands of years and continues to gain significant interest and use in present day human and veterinary medicine.

In Chinese Veterinary Medicine, maintaining balance through the concept of Ying and Yang was the key to long term health and well-being. The patient as a whole is treated. In western medicine the specific disease or illness is treated. In comparing the concept of Ying and Yang to Western medicine this translates to maintaining homeostasis in which there must be the proper balance of red and white blood cells, enzymes, electrolytes and chemicals in the make-up of the blood to sustain and maintain normal life.

What is acupuncture? It is a method and technique of placing very slender needles in strategic points on the body to stimulate the body to heal. The clinical signs identified during an acupuncture physical examination dictate which acupuncture points are selected for treatment. This examination is much different than examining the vital signs in a western physical examination.

Acupuncture can be used in many ways. It can be used in conjunction with western medicine to provide a synergistic approach to treating a disease or illness. In some cases, acupuncture is used in lieu of western medicine because the patient cannot tolerate the side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. In other cases acupuncture is used with herbal formulas to provide a synergistic approach to treating an illness.

There several forms of acupuncture. Dry needling is the most common form of acupuncture. It entails inserting slender needles at specific points to stimulate healing. A second form of acupuncture is called aquapuncture in which either Vitamin B-12 or the patient’s own blood is injected at acupuncture points. The purpose of this technique is to increase stimulation at the site for an extended period of time. A third form of acupuncture is with the use of electricity called electro-acupuncture. This technique uses very mild electrical stimulation of the nerves at the acupuncture sites to increase the stimulation. A fourth technique is the use of moxabustion which is an herbal stick made of mugwort. The stick is lighted and generates intense heat and smoke. This heat is applied either on the acupuncture needles or in the very close proximity of the skin to stimulate healing.

Some of the more common conditions in which acupuncture has demonstrated effectiveness include: acute musculoskeletal issues, sore back, osteoarthritis, skin conditions, navicular syndrome, chronic corneal ulcers, stomach ulcers, behavioral issues, heaves, and COPD.

Called Dr Yee to discuss your animal’s condition to determine if he/she is a candidate for acupuncture treatment.