Acupuncture for horses : Benefits and well-being

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Alternative therapies are in vogue today because they can help alleviate the signs and symptoms of various diseases. It can also help alleviate the aftermath of some diseases and chronic pain in both humans and animals. For these reasons, acunpuncture has begun to be applied. That is why we will deepen in relation to acunpuncture for horses.

In addition, alternative therapy of acupuncture for horses is being applied in competition and sport horses. This helps reduce recovery times and improve their performance.

The application of alternative therapy such as acupuncture for animals comes from very old times, that is, for more than 2,000 years. In principle this technique was born in China, then its practice was extended to other countries in Asia such as Japan and Korea.

Later in the last decades a great interest has arisen in the West. Therefore, this discipline of Animal Acupuncture specifically in horses, dogs, cats, birds among others. It is also applied in the European continent

The alternative therapy called acupuncture is a science where the disease is treated as an imbalance in the body. Therefore, through the acupuncture for horses, the body of the animal can be harmonized.

To achieve balance, needles are implanted in specific places of the body considered acupuncture points. Likewise, these have a name and different specific functions.

When the needle insertion procedure is performed, a stimulus is created through the nervous system. In effect, this will send the appropriate information to achieve a favorable result.

Specialists in any equine discipline or horse owners should be documented on the benefits of acupuncture. Acunpuncture can serve as a relaxation therapy after each activity that the horse performs.

Acupuncture For Horses

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History of the application of acupuncture for horses

In 1997 there was not only a milestone but also an advance in the field of alternative therapies. The Institute for Health of the United States of America took a big step in favor of these therapies.

The institute recognized the multiple advantages of acupuncture as another technique for the medicine and procedure of clinical conditions, both in humans and animals.

Thanks to this, acunpuncture has spread. It has taken advantage of the great advantages of this ancient science in humans. Even more so because the application of acupuncture for animals was promoted, which is a novelty.

Currently, veterinary acupuncture has provided professionals who apply their techniques, a very advantageous and effective instrument to address different types of pathologies and conditions in animals such as dogs, cats, horses, birds among others.

Acupuncture for horses is applied in some clinics. However, it has the versatility that can be applied on the farm where the animal is located.

In addition, the veterinary doctor who has studied the alternative technique of acupuncture can perform it at home, so it would facilitate the logistics to the client.

Positive effects of acupuncture for horses

The effects of alternative acupuncture therapy in horses is extremely wide among them we can mention the following:

Acupuncture for horses has effects on the autonomic, nervous, and endocrine systems. It also has immunostimulant, immunosuppressive, calming and anti-inflammatory capacity.
It can influence the functional processes of most systems and organs of horses. So acupuncture becomes a more powerful technique than
The use of acupuncture for horses is mainly for: Resolution of medical difficulties. Also for racehorses and sports. This improves the performance of horse athletes.
Improves the general state of the animal, in turn they recover more easily after participation in horse riding competitions. As well as those with longer professional careers.
One of the most important is that it calms the pain, improves the quality of life, creates balance and harmony

Application of acupuncture for horses

Here are some tips and notes about the application of acunpuncture for horses:

Acupuncture for horses is applied for skeletal muscle complications. It can be applied in diseases such as arthritis, lameness, hip limp, tendinitis, sprains. It also applies to shoulder and elbow problems, carpal and metacarpal diseases
Acupuncture is also used in horses for sports injuries, tendon injuries, ligaments, joint and muscle diseases, bone diseases
Neurological problems: Peripheral nerve palsy, Radial paralysis, Facial paralysis, Cervical ataxia
Gastrointestinal: Colic, Gastric ulcers, Diarrhea, Delayed gastric emptying, Paralytic ileus
Respiratory: Bronchitis, Bronchospasms, Laryngeal hemiplegia, Hoarseness, Recurrent airway obstructions, Sinusitis, Rhinitis, Pulmonary hemorrhage
Reproductive: Low conception / birth rates, Pregnancy problems, Uterine problems, Ovarian cysts, Repeated jealousy, reproductive problems in stallions
Anxiety, nervousness, lack of confidence in competitions among others.
Generally when the acupuncture technique is used on horseback and this is complemented with other alternative therapies. Acunpuncture can be accompanied with the use of medicinal plants the recovery is much faster and more efficient

How to help your horse with acupuncture

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Basis of Acupuncture

The welfare of an animal or a human being is based on a body being kept in balance. This balance is achieved through food, sleep and breathing. To reach a diagnosis, Traditional Chinese Medicine has some theories where the method and the acupuncture points to choose will be resolved.

Acupuncture Theories

Yin and Yang.
The five elements.
The theory of energy circulation (Qi) through the meridians or the circadian clock.

Yin and yang and the ideogram of Wu Xing in Acupuncture

It deals with the paraphrase of natural phenomena applied to all aspects of life and traditional medicine. In this way he manages to explain the physiological, pathological, diagnostic and therapeutic processes.

This theory allows classifying all phenomena into two forces:

Yang: properties of the sun, fire, heat, refers to everything masculine, everything that is exterior, movement, function, hot.
The Yin: properties of water, coldness, stillness, nutrition, refers to everything that is feminine, the interior, rest, the matter of the moon.

Wu Xing’s ideogram is the five phases of a cycle that refers to the five categories in nature. By what the elements are called and these are water, fire, wood, metal and earth.

Traditional Veterinary Acupuncture Techniques

There is a wide variety of techniques used by traditional veterinary acupuncture:

Hemoacupuncture was used to prevent and treat frequent problems in equidae of excess blood energy. This technique is used to treat problems of excess Yang, including heat stroke, laminitis, fever, keratoconjunctivitis, hives. To perform this procedure there are special needles.

In traditional pneumoacupuncture a long hollow tube is used to introduce air into a subcutaneous area. It is said to stimulate local musculature, it is used for muscular atrophies and in chronic treatments of suprascapular nerve paralysis

Fire needles are to introduce heat at selected acupuncture points to treat severe rheumatisms. Fire needles are special needles. These have a certain thickness and hardness with a handle that insulates it.

The only moxibustion technique in animals is the one that is used conventionally. Moxa (Artemis vulgaris) is used more frequently to treat large areas of the body, for example chronic problems of wind invasion or Yin / Blood deficiency condition (Xu).

As we have seen, acupuncture for animals, and especially acupuncture for horses, has many benefits. Let’s take advantage of this alternative therapy to improve the well-being of our horse. So we will give you a better life and get a better performance.