by Summer18

Created on: September 02, 2008

Natural healing, organic food, herbal remedies are all growing fields of interest in our never ending search for the best solutions in health care. So, it shouldn't be too surprising that acupuncture has made it's way into the dog arena. A method of healing that would might prove to be the most effective and with the least amount of side-effects. It seems we've come full-circle and collectively decided to take responsibility for the health of our pets back into our own hands. Seeking a natural approach and steering away from man-made medicines. Having plenty of options is always a good thing, especially these days.

Acupuncture is one form of an ancient holistic approach that is becoming increasingly popular and with real promise of an ultimate overall healing. As with the therapeutic advantages of massage and the promise of certain herbal treatments, acupuncture is an increasingly exciting area to explore.

A Little History

Acupuncture is an ancient medical treatment first used in India some 7,000 years ago, and then later spread to China around 5,000 years ago. The earliest known recorded acupuncture leads back to India and was used as a common treatment for elephants. From there, China began their research and through the initiation of TCM (traditional Chinese Medicine) came the work of the most recognized and documented acupuncturist named Shun Yang.

The earliest record of acupuncture studies in America were that of Sir William Osler, a Harvard and Yale Professor who had his findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1926. TCM (traditional Chinese Medicine) became a re-emerging natural alternative that regained it's popularity Even though Western culture put up initial resistance, it is now growing in demand and doctors of Veterinary Medicine are increasingly considering certification in order to keep up with patients requests.

Acupuncture is proving to be a highly successful method of treatment and viable for dogs as well as for humans. In fact, dogs seem to be more in tune with acupuncture's intrinsic value. Probably because dogs are innately without preconceived judgments and more trusting, eliminating the natural subconscious defenses of the human mind.

The theory behind acupuncture is the notion that healing should affect the whole body, not the just the specific area of pain. That's where fine gage sterile needles come in. These extremely thin needles are aligned to match specific pressure points and allow blocked channels to once again

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