Electrical
stimulation is used to reduce pain, increase local circulation, and
promote healing.
Electrodes
applied to the skin deliver low-voltage, intermittent stimulation to
surface nerves in the skin. The transmission of pain signals is
blocked, and endorphins, the body's natural pain killers, are
released. This type of stimulation is non-invasive and non-addictive.
It has no side effects and can be used to treat acute or chronic
pain. Medical research shows that turning off the pain signal allows
the body to heal.
As
humans, we know what we mean by the word "pain." Pain is
what the sufferer says it is, and we honor that. Because horses do
not complain of pain verbally, their pain often goes unnoticed. It is
not until a visible lameness is recognized that we acknowledge that
horses have discomfort.
The
intuitive Equine Therapist is able to recognize discomfort in its
earliest stages, when it is easiest to treat. Early signs of
discomfort include a horse's change in attitude or willingness to do
a job. Changes in muscle tension occur as the body tries to guard the
injured area. Changes in tissue temperature indicate local
inflammation--the body's call for its repair organisms to migrate to
the area.
A
subtle change in facial expression, body language or the sound of the
foot falls give the intuitive therapist clues. In the early stages,
pain is treated effectively by applying electro-therapy to the
injured area or to tender areas, called trigger points, found through
a therapist's gentle muscle palpation. Electrical stimulation
provides an effective means of treating these points as well as the
injured area. Electrical fields have been used to stimulate growth of
both bone and of soft tissues. Using electrical stimulation to
improve muscle function in human athletes dates to the 1950s. For the
horse, therapeutic electricity provides a comfortable modality with a
broad range of applications.
Conditions
that benefit from electrical stimulation include:
- Conditions that benefit from electrical stimulation include:
- acupuncture and trigger point stimulation
- muscle atrophy
- joint swelling and loss of range of motion
- laminitis
- wounds, both superficial and deep
| 