What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is just one part of traditional oriental medicine, which also includes herbal medicine, diet management, exercise, and massage. Acupuncture originated in China over three thousand years ago. Traditional Chinese medicine teaches that vital life energy (CHI) flows through the body along specific channels or meridians. If this energy flow becomes unbalanced or blocked, pain and disease result. Acupuncture involves the insertion of small needles into specific points along the energy meridians to balance the energy and re-establish its free flow.

How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture causes neurochemical responses in the body by stimulating the release of naturally occurring compounds such as seritonin and endorphins, as well as creating tiny electrical changes at specific acupuncture points.

Does it hurt?

Acupuncture needles are very fine and flexible so their insertion does not cause the type of pain associated with getting a "shot". Stimulation of an acupoint with a needle will cause a tingling or numbing sensation at that point or along its associated meridian. If an animal is very nervous, aggressive or painful, he or she may react to the placement of the needles more than a clam animal because of hi/her anticipation of the pain.

What conditions can be treated with acupuncture?

Any disease or illness can be treated with acupuncture, just as any disease can be treated with conventional western medicine. I have found that chronic debilitating conditions may respond well to acupuncture. Some examples of such diseases are arthritis, bursitis, nerve paralysis problems, chronic sinusitus, tendinitis, and vertebral spondylosis. Acupuncture can also be use as a form of general anesthesia, but this requires a large amount of time and feedback from the patient so is not very practical. Post-operative pain management is a practical application of acupuncture, however, and can reduce the amount of analgesic drugs given after surgery.

How long does an acupuncture treatment take?

The acupuncture needles are inserted and then left in place for 5 to 20 minutes. Each case varies, but generally between 3 and 10 treatments are needed to treat an illness. For a chronic debilitating disease, regular recheck treatments every few weeks or months may be advisable to keep the patient healthy and comfortable. Usually, a favorable response will be noticed by the owner after the first few treatments.

Difficulties in veterinary acupuncture?

The veterinary acupuncturist faces the same difficulties in treating his/her patient as does the conventional veterinarian. Both must rely heavily on owner observation and physical examination as the patient cannot say how he/she feels.