Use of acupuncture for the treatment of chronic back pain in horses: stimulation of acupuncture points with saline solution injections.

This research article explores the use of acupuncture, specifically saline solution injections at specific points, as a treatment method for horses suffering from chronic back pain, highlighting its success in helping the majority of the horses return to training and competition.

Objective of the Study

• The study aimed to investigate if acupuncture, specifically the injection of sterile saline solution at designated acupuncture points, would be a viable treatment option for horses suffering from chronic back pain that have not shown improvement with other treatment methods.

Methodology

• The research was conducted on 15 horses that were unable to train or perform at acceptable levels due to chronic back pain that had lasted between 2 to 24 months.
• These horses had not shown lasting improvement from previous treatments.
• The treatment consisted of injecting 1ml of a sterile saline solution, with no preservatives, at nine specific acupuncture points.
• The horses were treated once a week for an average of nine sessions.
• The average number of treatments before noticeable improvement was four sessions.

Results

• Out of the 15 horses treated with this method, 13 showed apparent alleviation of their signs of pain and could return to training and competition.
• Unfortunately, two horses were removed from competition six to twelve months after their last treatment; one due to a fracture and the other due to death (although it’s not made clear if these incidents were related to the study or not).
• However, even after this period, the remaining 11 out of the original 13 that could compete after the treatment were still competing, indicating potential long-term success of this treatment method.

Conclusion

• The study concludes that the use of acupuncture, specifically with saline solution injections at specified points, may provide a valuable treatment approach for horses suffering from chronic back pain. This was particularly the case when other treatment options had proven unsuccessful.
• While more research might be needed to confirm these results, this study provides initial evidence of the potential value of this alternative treatment method in equine medicine.