- Email: [email protected]
Alleviating pain
diagnosis was not accurate, but in the face of Dr. Vonderwell's claimed results, many veterinarians realized that perhaps experience in acupuncture was a key factor in obtaining good results. Another veterinarian, Dr. Earl C. Sutherland, described how he uses both acupuncture and chiropractic manipulation in his standard lameness examination and treatment of various lameness conditions. He said acupuncture therapy primarily works through the neurohumoral systems of the body. "Diagnostically, acupuncture is useful to map out where in the body the problem is located," he said. "Most abnormal situations of the body, such as pain, inflammation, decrease or increase in circulation, decrease or increase in myofacial tone, etc., are already mapped out by the central nervous system. The central nervous system reflects this map onto the surface of the body by way of the acupuncture meridians and points. By palpation of the meridians and points, noticing increased or decreased reflexes and differences in tissue quality (firm, soft, yielding to pressure, tightening up under pressure, warm, cold, etc.), the acupuncturist can figuratively read the reflected map. This not only helps in locating the problem areas but also helps in differentiating between primary and secondary lameness."
Alleviating pain In the same AAEP session, Dr. Gerald Hackett described a study done by himself and his colleagues using 6 horses, designed to quantitate pain reduction as a result of acupuncture. They used the same model originally designed by Dr. Jonathan Foreman to study the effects of various drugs on alleviating pain. The horses were fitted with specialized shoes on both front feet. Each shoe contained a bar across the apex of the frog, allowing for the insertion of an Allen bolt. Tightening the Allen bolt into the frog produced pain which could be quantitated by heart rate. The more pain, the higher the heart rate. Each horse, served as its own control, because the pain could be so delicately controlled. Dr. Hackett reported his results as follows: "Heart rates were monitored and recorded every 15 s on all six animals throughout all six trials. These heart rates were analyzed by using a paired sample t test. An initial analysis was done to determine if the modified shoe was an adequate design to produce a measurable pain response. This proved to be the case in five of the six animals (p < 0.05). Heart rates for these five animals were then compared to determine if acupuncture was effective in alleviating pain (as measured by a reduction in the heart rate). In four of the five horses tested, heart rates on the pain trials were significantly lower (p < 0.01) when the horses were treated with acupuncture." E d i t o r ' s Note: Other papers presented on acupuncture were:
B.B. Martin. Diagnosis and treatment of chronic back pain in horses. J.G. Merriam. Acupuncture in the treatment of back and hind leg pain in sport horses. W.H. McCormick. Oriental Channel diagnosis in foot lameness of the equine forelimb.
Volume 18, Number 1, 1998
Endogenous antinociceptive systems and their anatomic and neurochemical bases are extremely complex. The brain stem and spinal cord perform a major role in the modulation of nociception, although it is obvious that all levels of the central nervous system are involved to some extent. An understanding of the central nervous system (CNS) and its relationship to the transmission, perception, and inhibition of pain is necessary toward an understanding of some of the theories of acupuncture. It is generally accepted that pain results from a noxious stimulus applied to pain receptors, which are located in the skin or muscuioskeietal or visceral structures. These pain receptors are free nerve endings, which are capable of transmitting information regarding mechanical, thermal, or chemical stimuli. The acupuncture points that are used by the acupuncturist are cutaneous areas containing relatively high concentrations of free nerve endings, nerve bundles and nerve plexi, mast cells, lymphatics, capillaries, and venules. Afferent peripheral nerves are used to transmit the acupuncture stimulus to the spinal cord from the acupuncture point. The afferent neuron enters the spinal cord and follows similar pathways to those of the pain pathways. Pain impulses are transmitted by neurons that are components of the sensory nervous system and are referred to as A-delta and C fibers. The A-delta fibers are poorly myelinated and very thin, whereas the C fibers are one tenth the diameter of A-delta fibers, are unmyelinated, and are ten times slower in transmitting impulses. It is the C fibers that transmit a more unpleasant pain sensation because of their higher threshold for stimulation.
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Alleviating pain In the same AAEP session, Dr. Gerald Hackett described a study done by himself and his colleagues using 6 horses, designed to quantitate pain reduction as a result of acupuncture. They used the same model originally designed by Dr. Jonathan Foreman to study the effects of various drugs on alleviating pain. The horses were fitted with specialized shoes on both front feet. Each shoe contained a bar across the apex of the frog, allowing for the insertion of an Allen bolt. Tightening the Allen bolt into the frog produced pain which could be quantitated by heart rate. The more pain, the higher the heart rate. Each horse, served as its own control, because the pain could be so delicately controlled. Dr. Hackett reported his results as follows: "Heart rates were monitored and recorded every 15 s on all six animals throughout all six trials. These heart rates were analyzed by using a paired sample t test. An initial analysis was done to determine if the modified shoe was an adequate design to produce a measurable pain response. This proved to be the case in five of the six animals (p < 0.05). Heart rates for these five animals were then compared to determine if acupuncture was effective in alleviating pain (as measured by a reduction in the heart rate). In four of the five horses tested, heart rates on the pain trials were significantly lower (p < 0.01) when the horses were treated with acupuncture." E d i t o r ' s Note: Other papers presented on acupuncture were:
B.B. Martin. Diagnosis and treatment of chronic back pain in horses. J.G. Merriam. Acupuncture in the treatment of back and hind leg pain in sport horses. W.H. McCormick. Oriental Channel diagnosis in foot lameness of the equine forelimb.
Volume 18, Number 1, 1998
Endogenous antinociceptive systems and their anatomic and neurochemical bases are extremely complex. The brain stem and spinal cord perform a major role in the modulation of nociception, although it is obvious that all levels of the central nervous system are involved to some extent. An understanding of the central nervous system (CNS) and its relationship to the transmission, perception, and inhibition of pain is necessary toward an understanding of some of the theories of acupuncture. It is generally accepted that pain results from a noxious stimulus applied to pain receptors, which are located in the skin or muscuioskeietal or visceral structures. These pain receptors are free nerve endings, which are capable of transmitting information regarding mechanical, thermal, or chemical stimuli. The acupuncture points that are used by the acupuncturist are cutaneous areas containing relatively high concentrations of free nerve endings, nerve bundles and nerve plexi, mast cells, lymphatics, capillaries, and venules. Afferent peripheral nerves are used to transmit the acupuncture stimulus to the spinal cord from the acupuncture point. The afferent neuron enters the spinal cord and follows similar pathways to those of the pain pathways. Pain impulses are transmitted by neurons that are components of the sensory nervous system and are referred to as A-delta and C fibers. The A-delta fibers are poorly myelinated and very thin, whereas the C fibers are one tenth the diameter of A-delta fibers, are unmyelinated, and are ten times slower in transmitting impulses. It is the C fibers that transmit a more unpleasant pain sensation because of their higher threshold for stimulation.
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