Session #2006

Acupuncture was initially derived from a part of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM). This ancient form of medicine has evolved over the past 3,000 years. One of the first books on veterinary medicine was written by Bo Le around 659–621 BC called Bo Le Zhen Jing also referred to as Bole’s Canon of Veterinary Acupuncture which was mostly equine based. Acupuncture is also compatible with the current concepts of “Western” medicine and surgery as well as other types of TCVM treatments including Chinese herbal medicine, Tui-na, and diet/food therapy.

Acupuncture works primarily through the central nervous system affecting the musculoskeletal, hormonal, and cardiovascular systems allowing the innate healing and regeneration processes of the body to function optimally. These “points” are located in numerous locations throughout the body in fascia and muscle where there are various concentrations of nerves, blood vessels, lymph ducts, connective tissue, and mast cells. TCVM, over the millennia, has grouped the points into related groups along 14 virtual “lines” or “channels” throughout the body. These points along the channels may affect local structures, deeper related organs, or have distal effects. Studies have shown that manipulating these points may also affect pain modulation in the spinal cord as well as the release of hormones and chemicals in the brain.

Why use acupuncture? It can be integrated with conventional drugs where it can possibly reduce dosages, side-effects, and duration of these pharmaceutic treatments. In certain patients with complications, the clinician could avoid conventional drugs, surgical procedures, surgical risks, and/or surgical expenses. The clinician may see effects immediately or within a few days. These effects are cumulative and may often need multiple treatments (5–7 treatments are typical). Depending on the condition, acute disorders may need treatments every 1–3 days and chronic disorders every 1–2 weeks. Afterwards, the patient may need periodic maintenance treatments.

Common ways to stimulate acupoints may be through dry needle acupuncture, where fine, filiform tipped needles are placed with no further interaction; they may be physically manipulated to achieve certain responses, or connected to a machine that uses micro-frequencies of electricity to create the desired effect (electro-acupuncture). Moxibustion is a technique that uses a packed tube (moxa) of dried mugwort (Artemisia argyi) herb that is burned over an acupuncture point, a regional area, or applied heat directly to a needle. Aquapuncture or aqua-acupuncture is a technique where a fluid substance (B₁₂, sterile saline, sterile water, plasma, serum, stem cells, etc.) is injected into an acupuncture point in an attempt to obtain a longer treatment action. Similarly, metal beads or filaments (gold, silver, stainless steel, titanium, etc.) may also be implanted as more of a “permanent” means of acupuncture effect.

References

1.  Xie H, Ramirez HE. Practical Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine. Vol 4. Exotic, Zoo, and Farm Animals. Reddick, FL: Chi Univ Press; 2017.

2.  Xie H, Preast V. Xie’s Veterinary Acupuncture. Ames, IA: Blackwell; 2007.