Cantwell SL. Traditional Chinese veterinary medicine: the mechanism and management of acupuncture for chronic pain.
Top Companion Anim Med 2010;
25:53-8. [PMID:
20188339 DOI:
10.1053/j.tcam.2009.10.006]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2009] [Accepted: 10/16/2009] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Complementary and alternative medicine can be defined as the diagnosis, treatment, and/or prevention that complements mainstream medicine, satisfying a demand not met by orthodoxy and diversifying the conceptual framework of medicine. Acupuncture is being used much more commonly now as a sole or integrative modality in veterinary medicine and can play a large role in management of inflammation and chronic pain. Western medical etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment should be considered before applying acupuncture. This article describes the evolving biomedical basis of acupuncture analgesia and gives the practitioner an overview of how acupuncture can be performed in a medical setting.
Collapse