• DVM360_Conference_Charlotte,NC_banner
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Acupuncture therapy for small animal neurologic conditions (Proceedings)

November 1, 2009
Allen M. Schoen, MS, DVM

Acupuncture may be used as a primary therapy or as a complementary, integrative therapy in the treatment of various neurologic conditions.

Acupuncture may be used as a primary therapy or as a complementary, integrative therapy in the treatment of various neurologic conditions. It is essential that an appropriate neurologic evaluation be conducted in order to ascertain the most likely etiology of the neurologic condition. Lesion localization and etiology are critical in order to have a correct diagnosis and an appropriate prognosis. A thorough physical examination, appropriate blood and urine evaluations along with radiographs, nuclear scintigraphy, mri's may be beneficial for an appropriate neurologic diagnosis. Some of these diagnostic tests may not be readily available or financially feasible for the client. The goal is to do the most thorough diagnostic evaluation possible considering the client and the patient. Institution of therapy based on clinical judgment can be considered valid when neurodiagnostic procedures offer significant risk to the patient, surgical intervention is not an option ot the client is averse to the procedures (1). Nervous system signs consistent with systemic disease warrant a minimum database, including a cbc, serum biochemical profile, urinalysis, thoracic radiographs, as well as infectious disease evaluations and metabolic disease evaluation where indicated.

Acupuncture may be used therapeutically for neurologic conditions for both pain management as well as for nerve stimulation. One goal of acupuncture is to restore normal transmission of impulses (2). Acupuncture reduces the resistance and enhances electrical activity of injured tissues, thereby promoting healing and axonal regeneration (3).

Other nervous system disorders resulting from impaired function include epilepsy and sensorineural deafness. Research demonstrates that opioid peptides, serotonin, and g-aminobutyric acid are important brain neurotransmitters underlying the antiepileptic effect of acupuncture (4).

Advertisement

Acupuncture has been found to be beneficial as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of many neurologic conditions. Brain disorders that may benefit from acupuncture include idiopathic epilepsy, cerebrovascular accident, acute cerebral hemorrhage, head trauma, coma and meningitis. Spinal cord disorders that may benefit include nonsurgical intervertebral disk disease, fibrocartilaginous embolism, spinal cord trauma, lumbosacral disease (cauda equine syndrome), cervical myelopathy and degenerative myelopathy. Spinal cord neoplasia does not normally respond to acupuncture. Occasionally, acupuncture may possibly accentuate the condition, by increasing local circulation to the area. If there is an aggravation of clinical signs following two acupuncture treatments or no improvement after four treatments or any other signs suggestive of spinal neoplasia become evident , one should reevaluate the patient. Further diagnostic procedures for the evaluation of a possible spinal tumor should be conducted if the client consents.

Neuromuscular disorders that may benefit from acupuncture include Cranial nerve VII neuropathy, Trigeminal neuritis (CNN V neuropathy), Geriatric peripheral vestibular syndrome (CNN VIII neuropathy) and neurogenic deafness. Traumatic peripheral neuropathies, diabetic neuropathyies and masticatory muscle myositis may also improve with acupuncture.

Acupuncture treatment techniques for neurologic conditions include dry needle stimulation, electroacupuncture and aquapuncture. Patients are normally treated once to twice weekly until clinical signs improve. In acute conditions, acupuncture may be utilized daily if appropriate. For analgesia and pain relief, improvement is often noted within four treatments. For nerve stimulation, one may require up to eight treatments before significant improvement is evident. Continuous evaluation of diagnosis, technique and additional therapies is important. Patience is a virtue when treating neurologic conditions. .

Acupuncture is considered a complementary or adjunctive therapy that should be used along with any appropriate conventional western medical approaches as well as additional complementary or integrative approaches.

References

Kline, K, Caplan,E, Joseph, R, Acupuncture for Neurologic Disorders, in Schoen, A., Veterinary Acupuncture, Ancient Art to Modern Medicine, 2nd edition, Mosby, St. Louis, 2001. pg. 179-192.

Loo, WC, Symptoms associated with impaired transmission of nerve impulses to different muscle areas and their treatment with acupuncture, Am J Acupunct 13:319-330, 1985.

Stefanatos, J: Treatment to reduce radial nerve paralysis, Vet Med 79:67-71, 1984.

Ding-Zong W, Acupuncture and neurophysiology, Clin Neurol Neurosurg 92(1): 13-25, 1990.

Related Content:

Neurology
Top dvm360 articles of 2022: #6
Top dvm360 articles of 2022: #6
Top dvm360 articles of 2022: #12
Top dvm360 articles of 2022: #12
Working between the brain and the mind
Working between the brain and the mind

Advertisement

Latest News

An update on copper concerns in pet foods

Dental hacks to make every case more manageable

Q&A with a keynote: Walter Brown, RVTg, VTS, ECC

News wrap-up: This week’s headlines, plus dvm360® launches its first CE podcast

View More Latest News
Advertisement