Treatment of chronic back pain in horses. Stimulation of acupuncture points with a low powered infrared laser

• Published in: Veterinary surgery Vol. 16; no. 1; p. 106
• Main Authors: Martin, Jr, B B, Klide, A M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.01.1987
• Subjects: Acupuncture Therapy - veterinary; Animals; Back Pain - therapy; Back Pain - veterinary; Female; Horse Diseases - therapy; Horses; Laser Therapy; Male
• ISSN: 0161-3499
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.1987.tb00919.x

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.