VETERINARY ACUPUNCTURE AND THE REHABILITATION PATIENT

Acupuncture is one of a variety of therapies that may be used to treat your rehabilitation patient. Simply stated, acupuncture (acus, needle; punctura, puncture) is the stimulation of specific points on the body that have the ability to alter various biochemical and physiologic conditions to achieve the desired effect.  It is a means of helping the body heal itself.  It is now being utilized by an increasing number of veterinarians, alongside Western medicine, for various disease conditions.  It is not a panacea, or cure-all, but in certain disease conditions it works well.

Acupuncture is now known to affect all major physiologic systems.  It works primarily via the nervous system, affecting the musculoskeletal, hormonal, and cardiovascular systems.  Acupuncture does more than just relieve pain; it helps speed the healing process.  The purpose of acupuncture is to rectify an electrical impairment.  Acupuncture reduces the electrical resistance and enhances electrical activity of injured tissues.  Therefore, acupuncture promotes healing and axonal regrowth.  Acupuncture causes sensorial stimulation that promotes release of local or distant neuropeptides via the central and peripheral nervous systems.  Neuropeptides are important not only for healing of the initial ischemic lesion, but also for the regeneration process.  Calcitonin gene-related peptide is released by use of acupuncture and is associated with tissue regeneration.  Acupuncture is also associated with neuroendocrine modulation via release of several hormones, which could explain the positive results associated with its use.  For example, thyrotropin-releasing hormone is associated with neurotrophic effects, influences plasticity and facilitation of motor neuron firing.  Electroacupuncture causes release of all 4 opiod peptides (dynorphin A, B-endorphin, endomorphin, and enkephalins), resulting in a maximal therapeutic effect.  Acupuncture also increases circulation, relieves muscle spasms, stimulates nerves, and stimulates the body’s defense system, among many other beneficial effects. The particular method in which it works depends on the conditions being treated and the points used.  Usually more than one mechanism of action is involved when each individual acupuncture point is ‘needled’.

The physiologic changes brought on by acupuncture make it ideal for post surgery cases (IVDD, cruciate tears), non-surgical cases (IVDD, cruciate, tendonitis) or degenerative conditions (DJD, degenerative myelopathy).  For the best results, therapy should be started within 24 - 48 hours post surgery or trauma.  In general acute cases respond to acupuncture faster than chronic cases.  The goal in acute cases is for pain relief and to speed healing, while the goal in degenerative conditions is for pain relief and to slow the progression of the disease.  For more information on how acupuncture can help your patients, please contact either Dr. Tom Day at tattooedtom@insightbb.com or Dr. Lara Day at beautifulday@insightbb.com.