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WHAT SORT OF CONDITION CAN ACUPUNCTURE HELP?

Performance problems are at the top of the list in the horse. Dr. DeRock sees horses with sore backs, necks, shoulders, loins, and hips every day. Many horses are “short stepping”, dragging a foot or feet, stumbling, or have mysterious lameness that no one can readily diagnose.  She often sees cases that have been tentatively diagnosed as EPM, which are, in fact, CROOKED.  Once they are helped to unlock their bodies with adjustments and acupuncture, they can again learn to travel STRAIGHT, and often, their symptoms just disappear.

Degenerative diseases, arthritis, joint disease, often respond well. Chronic lameness such as navicular disease and laminitis are often treated successfully.  Nerve damage of all types respond very well, especially if treated soon after the injury.  Moon blindness, or periodic ophthalmia is a condition that horse owners usually take only to the conventional practitioner. In many cases, acupuncture will really make a difference. Because many behavioral problems are really caused by pain or discomfort, owners usually notice their horses have an amazing change of attitude after an acupuncture treatment.

Elderly horses often take a new lease on life after a treatment, and Dr. DeRock has many 30 plus patients that just need a little help.  Dr. DeRock treats all sorts of conditions that have not responded to conventional medicine.  For many of these horses, the next step would have been euthanasia; but amazingly, many respond and have quality lives for many years.
 

ARE THERE ANY SIDE EFFECTS?

Most horses get immediate relief from much of their distress.  Over the next few days you might notice a gradual improvement, or a huge improvement. Once in a while symptoms might be the same or worse for a few days.  Or the horse, in rare cases, wants to sleep and relax for a day or so.  Do not worry about this, it will pass. You could think of this as the body rearranging it’s energetic system. Over the next two or three weeks, you will usually see dramatic improvement in the horse’s way of going and his attitude.

WHAT ABOUT INFECTIONS?

Because needles are sterile, infections at the site of the needle are almost unheard of; and the acupuncture point itself has much innate protection from infection. While it is possible to have an infection at an injection site, it is a much lower risk than infections from a vaccination, which can irritate the tissue and does not go in an acupoint unless by accident.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD THE TREATMENTS BE REPEATED?

Most horses, because they are such natural athletes, have an amazing capacity to heal and respond very dramatically to acupuncture. Some common complaints, such as sore backs, may require only one treatment. Dr. DeRock attempts to pinpoint the causes of the problem and eliminate them.  Some chronic conditions may require several treatments to produce a good result. There are also some effective techniques to implant pieces of gold in some acupuncture points for a long lasting effect.  Depending on the horse’s “job”, and how great the athletic demands are, tune-up treatments may be beneficial several times during the season.


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