Treatment of chronic back pain in horses. Stimulation of acupuncture points with a low powered infrared laser.
Fourteen horses that could not perform at their expected standards due to chronic back pain of 4 to 48 months duration, and had not obtained lasting improvement from other forms of therapy, were treated by stimulating nine acupuncture points using a low powered infrared laser (300 microW, 904 nm). The treatments were performed weekly, and consisted of stimulating each point for 2 minutes with a pulse frequency of 360 pulses per second. After completion of a mean of 11 treatments, clinical signs of back pain were alleviated in 10 of the 14 horses, there was no change in three, and one was lost to follow-up. Of the 10 horses who were training and competing, four won. One year after treatment was discontinued, 9 of these 10 horses continued to perform at a standard acceptable to the owner.
Martin
B B
BB
University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Clinical Studies-New Bolton Center, Philadelphia 19348.
Klide
A M
AM
D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D001416:Back Pain / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006736:Horses; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male