Veterinary Acupuncture
Dr. Alex is a member of The Association of British Veterinary Acupuncturists.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture has evolved from the ancient art of placing needles into special location on the body to alleviate pain, stimulate local responses such as blood flow and healing and increase resistance to disease. It has been practiced by the Chinese and other cultures for thousands of years and may be used to treat a wide variety of conditions. Acupuncture treatments should only be used following an accurate diagnosis of the problem and a discussion of all treatment options. In many cases acupuncture is best used in conjunction with conventional medicine however, in some situations it can be used as a sole treatment. Adding acupuncture to a treatment plan can help to reduce the need for medications which may have undesirable side effects. Most importantly, acupuncture is extremely safe when practiced correctly and is well tolerated by most animals.
What kinds of conditions are treated with acupuncture?
Pain is the most common indication for acupuncture. Some of the common conditions we use acupuncture in are arthritis, muscle strains, pain because of disc disease. However, acupuncture can be used in a wide range of case such as visceral pain, neuropathic pain, gastrointestinal issued, respiratory issues, urinary issues.
Will it hurt my pet?
The answer is no, Acupuncture needles do stimulate nerves, but it does not cause pain. The stimulus caused by the needles is part of how acupuncture send message to cause down regulation of pain and the release of the pain-relieving chemicals. Sometimes animals may initially react to this sensation of needling as though they are expecting pain, but then relax because it does not occur. Most of the time they accept the fine needles very well and often become relaxed and sleepy during the treatment. Often they appear to look forward to the next treatment when they come back to the practice.
How often would my pet be treated?
Treatments take about 10-30 minutes and usually occur weekly for the first 4-6 weeks and the interval between treatments will be increased based on how your pet respond. The frequency of treatment depends on your pets individual needs, but often top-ups are required to maintain the therapeutic effect in the long term.
FAQs?
How many needles are used?
Often between 5 and 20 needles may be used in a session.
How long is a treatment?
The needles may be left in between 5-30 minutes.
Can I stay with my pet?
Most of the time yes but in some situations, we may advise differently, and this can be a case-by-case decision.
How often do we needle treatments?
Initially treatments are usually weekly but as we seen improvement his can be extended.
How quickly will I see a response?
Some animals respond very quickly, and some take multiple sessions until the desired response is achieved often 4-6 sessions will suffice.
Do you use western or Traditional Chinese acupuncture?
As a rule, we use western scientific acupuncture.
What conditions can acupuncture help with?
Chronic pain, Arthritis, DJD, muscle pain, myofascial pain, Visceral pain, Neuropathic pain, Gastrointestinal issued, respiratory issues, Urinary issues.