Acupuncture

Dr. Shana Buchanan, MBA, Certified in Veterinary Acupuncture, Certified in Veterinary Chiropractic, Veterinary Food Therapist, Certified in Chinese Veterinary Herbs
As you recall, TCVM includes acupuncture, herbal medicine, and food therapy.   Additionally, TCVM recognizes patterns of disease and imbalance in the body, and the treatment is to bring the body back into balance, or homeostasis.  Since TCVM deals with energy, it does not identify diseases the same as Western Medicine.  Identification of patterns of disharmony is accomplished through examination, tongue and pulse diagnostics, and history.  The treatment plan is then formed in order to bring the body back into homeostasis.  Acupuncture is an excellent method of bringing the body back into balance.  Acupuncture point stimulation is used to stimulate the body’s intrinsic healing mechanism in order to restore vitality.  Furthermore, acupuncture not only deals with the internal problems but the external environmental factors that influence the body.  In contrast, Western Medicine tries to replace deficiencies and does not examine the external environment.  This is why an integrative approach of using both TCVM and Western Medicine can help the body heal quicker with fewer side effects. 

As stated previously, acupuncture deals with energy, Qi, and the body’s natural ability to heal itself.  The term acupuncture derives from the Latin words:  acus meaning needle and pungare meaning to pierce.  Acupuncture is performed by placing small, solid, metal needles into specific locations in the body, acupuncture points, to prevent and treat disease.  After inserting needles the needles can either be left in place for a particular amount of time, have moxa, or mugwart, burned on the tips, or have electrodes connected to stimulate the area, similar to a TENS unit. 

How do we know where acupuncture points are located and their uses?  Acupuncture points have been studied for over 3,500 years.  Therefore, the points that are used have been thoroughly researched and anecdotally proven through centuries of evidence.  It is believed that each acupoint communicates with a specific organ and reflects the conditions of that organ or meridian.  When the organ or meridian has changes, the related points may become sensitive or show altered signs such as cold or heat.  The stimulation of each point by acupuncture can reach the related organ via the point and the meridian.  When scientists dissected acupuncture points, it was discovered that the majority of points had an associated artery, vein and nerve.  For the main artery, vein and nerve groups it was recognized that these groupings were TCVM Master and Influential Points of the body.  The smaller groupings have influential affects on the body but at a smaller scale.  There are some points on the body that do not relate to definitive acupuncture points.  These points are called “Trigger Points,” or “Ahshi Points.”  Ahshi points are sensitive, nonspecific acupoints that reflects pain or abnormalities associated with that certain part of the body.  Therefore, an acupuncture treatment will consist of points for the organ, the meridian, and local points that are identified. 

The big question is what can acupuncture treat?  In my opinion, most, if not all diseases, should have an integrative approach of treating the animal with TCVM and Western Medicine.  The animal will only benefit by this dual modality.  Additionally, this modality does not have to be an even split between the two methods but a cognizant approach to the animal.  There will be times that a patient’s environment, weight, and activity level needs to be addressed before, during and after the treatments in order for acupuncture to be efficacious and have favorable outcomes.  Additionally, acupuncture treatments will occasionally not produce the desired effects as a result of the disease process.  Here is a brief, and incomplete, list of acupuncture treatments:

• Analgesia, analgesia, analgesia!!
• Neurologic Disorders:  nerve growth stimulation and trauma recovery
• Emergency Medicine:  respiratory arrest, shock, CPR
• Cardiovascular Disease:  blood pressure, arrhythmias, heart failure
• Chronic Respiratory Conditions:  chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, acute/ chronic upper respiratory disease, allergic and infectious tracheobronchitis
• Gastrointestinal Disorders:  motility, gastric ulcers, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
• Reproductive Disorders:  anestrus, cystic ovaries, impotence, abortion/dystocia, retained placenta, uterine prolapse, post operative spay/castration analgesia
• Immunologic Disorders:  FIV, feline lymphocytic-plasmacytic gingivitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), immune-mediated joint disease, feline bronchial disease
• Dermatology Disorders:  pyoderma, anal sac disease

In conclusion, acupuncture is a treatment modality that will only benefit the animal by correcting the problem, relaxing the pet, and bringing the body back into balance.  The best aspect of acupuncture is that you cannot overdose the animal since this is typically a benign form of treatment. Acupuncture cannot change conformation, heal fractures, nor make neoplastic growths resolve as a sole treatment modality.  However, acupuncture can alleviate certain problems associated with structural issues or secondary problems associated with diseases of the body.