at a cellular level simply resting the muscle rarely resolves the problem as resting does not increase blood flow to the area; this is where muscle therapy is utilised. So spelling a sore horse usually results in the horse coming back into work still with the same underlying weak and sore muscles which resurface shortly after the workload increases. Acupuncture is very effective at stimulating blood flow into fascia, the fibrous casing around muscles, and tendinous attachments
Acupuncture also can provide pain relief. Needle insertion has been shown to result in release of a substance called encephalin in the spinal cord as well as encephalin, noradrenaline, serotonin and beta-endorphins in the brain. This hormonal effect in the brain
Why use acupuncture? While musculoskeletal conditions are the most common complains treated there certainly in much greater applications of acupuncture including gastric ulcers, gastrointestinal disease, infectious diseases, skin conditions, reproductive concerns and renal failure. These effects are achieved by stimulating blood flow to the tissues concerned, altering hormone release from the brain and glands and influencing the immune system. There are still some effects of acupuncture that have been shown to occur, both from clinical experience and scientific experiments, however we are yet to understand how these effects occur. While modern scientific investigation continues to uncover the mechanics behind acupuncture’s widely varied benefits the application of acupuncture into the daily life and health of our pets continues to grow. For the performance animal, acupuncture relieves muscle tension, eases pain which could be due to joint degeneration or injury and aids in muscle growth. For our companion pets acupuncture helps injury recovery, muscle tension, arthritic pain, internal diseases and much more.
Want to know more? Dr Emily is very friendly and happy to answer questions via her Facebook Page.
H U BV I B ES M AG A Z I N E
of muscles onto bone. Tightness in these areas is a frequent cause of muscular pain and poor muscle development. Recent work mapping fascial planes has found close correlations to acupuncture meridians, mapped thousands of years ago in Ancient China. Understanding fascial tension and the effect on muscle function is important, however, knowing how to relieve this tension is of higher importance and this is an area where acupuncture performs very strongly.
has been credited with the feeling of wellbeing that is frequently experienced by both human and animal acupuncture patients.
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