Use of acupuncture for the treatment of chronic back pain in horses:
stimulation of acupuncture points with saline solution injections.
by
Martin BB Jr; Klide AM
From: J Am Vet Med Assoc, 190: 9, 1987 May 1, 1177-80
Fifteen horses that could not train or perform their sport at an
acceptable level because of chronic back pain of 2 to 24 months'
duration, and that did not obtain lasting improvement from other
previous treatments, were treated with acupuncture. The treatments
consisted of injection of 1 ml of sterile saline (0.9% NaCl) solution,
with no preservatives, at 9 acupuncture points. The horses were treated
once a week for a mean of 9 treatments. The mean number of treatments
before obvious improvement was 4. After treatment, 13 of the 15 horses
had apparent alleviation of their signs of pain and could train and
compete. Six to 12 months after their last treatment, 2 horses had been
removed from competition; one had sustained a fracture and the other
had died. The remaining 11 of the original 13 that competed after
treatment were still competing.