Acupuncture can relieve the signs and lessen the discomfort of many veterinary health problems. There are 5 mechanisms that help explain why acupuncture works. Four of these mechanism involve the nervous system and one involves the muscles.

 

Acupuncture promotes local healing. This is done by stimulating the nerve fibers in the skin, muscle, and increasing blood flow in deeper tissues supporting tissue healing. 

 

Acupuncture reduces the pain in the segment where the needles are inserted. Acupuncture inhibits pain from any part of the body that sends nerves to that particular part or segment of the spinal cord. 

 

Acupuncture reduces pain throughout the body. The effects of acupuncture can extend to the whole body, beyond one segment. This is called an extrasegmental analgesic effect. This is not powerful enough to suppress pain altogether, but it does help. 

 

Acupuncture has a calming effect and improves wellbeing. This is achieved by the central regulatory effects of acupuncture. The action potentials are registered in the cerebral cortex and other deeper tissues are stimulated including the hypothalamus and the limbic system. Patients may still feel pain but it seems to bother them less. 

 

Acupuncture inactivates myofascial trigger points. These are small knots of tight muscle fibers. These trigger points are very tender and pain is produced when pressure is placed on that spot. There is referred pain associated with the myofascial trigger points and movement of the muscle is restricted by pain. 

 

 

This is why acupuncture can help with the health issues listed below.

 

• Acute Musculoskeletal Inflammation

• Allergies

• Back/Neck Pain

• Arthritis

• Cancer Therapy

• Neurologic Disorders

• Hip Dysplasia 

• Diarrhea

• Vomiting

• And more

 

 

Reference

White A, Cummings M, Filshie J 2008 Introduction to Western Medical Acupuncture. Elsevier, New York, pp 8-12.