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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 its energetic system. Over the next
two or three weeks, you will usually see dramatic improvement in the
horses 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 horses job, and how great the athletic
demands are, tune-up treatments may be beneficial several times during the
season.
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