Page 112 - BSAVA Guide to Pain Management in Small Animal Practice

6 | Physical methods used to alleviate pain: complementary therapies

VetBooks.ir pain, especially in dogs that patiently put up with cupuncture may e added where
anything their owner does to them. Use the palm
pharmacological analgesia does not
of the hand in contact with the skin; move the
hand and the skin together over the underlying appear to be reducing signs of distress and
muscles igure 6.17 . Use the animal s body discomfort. The addition of acupuncture
language and facial expressions to determine will sometimes give su cient rela ation
whether the touch is too rm or if they would and endogenous pain relief to allow
en oy greater pressure. Ideally, this massage the medical analgesia to wor . eedles
should be done before and after exercise. can be placed near the source of pain if
appropriate segmentally peri-segmentally
or in non-painful general points such as
T , , , and intang igure . .
hysiotherapy and hydrotherapy should e
used in con unction with professional advice
in acute neurological and orthopaedic pain.

lat hand massage is the safest form of
massage to teach an owner.

Use of physical therapies intang is an acupuncture point

between the eyes the Chinese name is
in veterinary pain only used here because the point is an extra one to
management the normal numbering system .
Acute pain
enerally speaking, acupuncture will be the e.g. oa uim et al., 1 , acupuncture is not
main physical therapy used in acute pain an alternative to decompressive surgery,
presentations, as an ad unct to pharmacological where such surgery is indicated, but it does
analgesia. Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy are appear to be a useful ad unct at di erent
indicated postoperatively in intervertebral disc stages of the disease.
disease and orthopaedic conditions depending At rst presentation, without delaying
on the procedure used . ydrotherapy can be assessment or surgery, acupuncture should be
started almost as soon as the wound is healed, performed at the suspected site of disc
but the ideal timescale varies for di erent prolapse into the epaxial muscles. If
orthopaedic conditions. electroacupuncture is available and appropriate
this should be used igure 6.19 .
Acute neurological pain –
intervertebral disc disease ■ utcomes pain relief; relaxation; decrease
Clearly, the primary importance for of anxiety and secondary muscle spasm.
intervertebral disc disease IV is making the ■ Conservative management acupuncture
correct assessment. Contrary to some reports should be used twice weekly initially to

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