EQUINE DRY NEEDLING
Dry Needling is an extremely effective treatment for myofascial pain. Articles about Myofascial Pain in Horses may be found on the Information page of this website.
Dry Needling (or Intramuscular Stimulation) has been used in humans since the 1940’s but is a relatively new treatment for horses. Special very fine, solid needles are used, with nothing being injected (hence the word “dry”) and no electricity used. It is not the same as acupuncture as Dry Needling treats the immediate site of pain or muscle tightness whereas acupuncture treats the meridians.
When muscles are damaged for whatever reason, areas in them stay in a fixed state of contraction. These areas may be painful when pressure is applied to them or when the muscle is used and need to be deactivated. Inserting needles into these trigger points mechanically stimulates them and directly treats the cause of the pain by relaxing shortened muscle fibres. A localised twitch response occurs and then the muscle relaxes allowing an increase in blood flow to the area promoting healing and restoring normal function. This resulting twitch response is both therapeutic and diagnostic as healthy muscle will not elicit a twitch response.
Dr Victoria Hamilton has trained internationally and uses a range of needle lengths and insertion techniques depending on the muscles being treated. Short needles are inserted in a shallow manner for thin, superficial muscles whereas very long needles, up to 10cm, may be used to treat deep muscles. The majority of horses accept this treatment well and sedation is very rarely required. Even most horses considered needle shy for hypodermic injections are held just in a halter for the treatment. In fact once they have felt the release of the pain the change in their demeanour is amazing.
The effects of Dry Needling are immediately visible and palpable with the muscles looking fuller and feeling relaxed and soft. Depending on the muscles treated horses move freer and flow better through their whole body. Often only one treatment is required and most horses can return to work the next day.
Dry Needling breaks chronic pain cycles and provides long lasting relief. It is extremely effective for deep muscle problems that can be difficult or even impossible to reach with other forms of treatment. It is also effective for treating pain of neuropathic origin and can be used to stimulate certain muscles such as the deep core muscles to develop.
Performance horses should be regularly checked and treated to help them achieve and maintain their full genetic potential. Contact Dr Victoria Hamilton to make an appointment for your horse and please ensure its tetanus vaccination is up to date beforehand.
Dry Needling (or Intramuscular Stimulation) has been used in humans since the 1940’s but is a relatively new treatment for horses. Special very fine, solid needles are used, with nothing being injected (hence the word “dry”) and no electricity used. It is not the same as acupuncture as Dry Needling treats the immediate site of pain or muscle tightness whereas acupuncture treats the meridians.
When muscles are damaged for whatever reason, areas in them stay in a fixed state of contraction. These areas may be painful when pressure is applied to them or when the muscle is used and need to be deactivated. Inserting needles into these trigger points mechanically stimulates them and directly treats the cause of the pain by relaxing shortened muscle fibres. A localised twitch response occurs and then the muscle relaxes allowing an increase in blood flow to the area promoting healing and restoring normal function. This resulting twitch response is both therapeutic and diagnostic as healthy muscle will not elicit a twitch response.
Dr Victoria Hamilton has trained internationally and uses a range of needle lengths and insertion techniques depending on the muscles being treated. Short needles are inserted in a shallow manner for thin, superficial muscles whereas very long needles, up to 10cm, may be used to treat deep muscles. The majority of horses accept this treatment well and sedation is very rarely required. Even most horses considered needle shy for hypodermic injections are held just in a halter for the treatment. In fact once they have felt the release of the pain the change in their demeanour is amazing.
The effects of Dry Needling are immediately visible and palpable with the muscles looking fuller and feeling relaxed and soft. Depending on the muscles treated horses move freer and flow better through their whole body. Often only one treatment is required and most horses can return to work the next day.
Dry Needling breaks chronic pain cycles and provides long lasting relief. It is extremely effective for deep muscle problems that can be difficult or even impossible to reach with other forms of treatment. It is also effective for treating pain of neuropathic origin and can be used to stimulate certain muscles such as the deep core muscles to develop.
Performance horses should be regularly checked and treated to help them achieve and maintain their full genetic potential. Contact Dr Victoria Hamilton to make an appointment for your horse and please ensure its tetanus vaccination is up to date beforehand.
EQUINE LASER THERAPY
LASERS used in the treatment of myofascial pain, tendon and wound healing are low level (or cold) lasers as opposed to medical lasers used for surgery. They produce no heat and can penetrate 5cm or more, increasing cellular metabolism without tissue damage. This reduces inflammation and pain and promotes healing.
This treatment is safe, drug free and will often work when drugs have failed.
The discovery of the benefits of low level laser therapy (LLLT) occurred almost by accident when in 1967, a few years after the first working laser was developed, a scientist Dr Endre Mester in Hungary performed an experiment to see if lasers would cause cancer. He shaved areas on mice and treated the areas with the laser. Whilst no cancer developed he discovered the hair on the clipped areas grew back much quicker than the non-lasered areas. This led to the term “laser biostimulation”. Nowadays it is well known that LLLT stimulates healing at the cellular level and therefore markedly decreases the healing time of many injuries.
LLLT may be used to treat
This treatment is safe, drug free and will often work when drugs have failed.
The discovery of the benefits of low level laser therapy (LLLT) occurred almost by accident when in 1967, a few years after the first working laser was developed, a scientist Dr Endre Mester in Hungary performed an experiment to see if lasers would cause cancer. He shaved areas on mice and treated the areas with the laser. Whilst no cancer developed he discovered the hair on the clipped areas grew back much quicker than the non-lasered areas. This led to the term “laser biostimulation”. Nowadays it is well known that LLLT stimulates healing at the cellular level and therefore markedly decreases the healing time of many injuries.
LLLT may be used to treat
- Tendon injuries
- Wounds
- Trigger points unsafe to dry needle such as those too close to important structures like joint capsules, nerves or blood vessels or in certain hind leg muscle groups such as the hamstrings.
