As veterinarians, we get lots of questions about therapies that might work on their horses besides conventional medicine. Since conventional medicine can have side-effects, many owners want to look for something to treat an ailment that doesn’t have side effects. So let’s talk about some of the alternative treatment options, and what the pros and cons are.
Chiropractic
This has to be one of everyone’s favorite alternative medicine modalities. Chiropractic is the manipulation of the muscles surrounding joints, especially of the spine. This provides many patients with some form of pain relief as it can take pressure off painful areas. Many of us have been to the chiropractor ourselves, so why shouldn’t our horses enjoy it, too? I definitely think chiropractic can help many horses suffering from compensatory pain. What most people don’t know, however, is that in horses, only 5% of back pain is
actually PRIMARY back pain. This means that only 5% of horses that show symptoms come from problems that come directly from the back. Almost all of the rest of the back pain comes from something else, like lameness. This is important to remember because many people call their chiropractor when their horse is “off.” However, what they don’t realize is that if you treat the symptoms and not the problem, the symptoms just come right back. It’s much better to have your horse assessed and treated by a veterinarian and THEN you can call your chiropractor. This allows the horse to stop using the compensatory mechanisms it has developed that lead to the muscle issues you may be seeing.
Acupuncture
This modality has been around thousands of years, and is based on the Chinese theory of “qi” (pronounced chee). It is theorized that the body has meridians, in which the qi, or the flow of energy, can travel. By inserting very thin needles into various points in the body,
it’s supposed to alter the body’s flow of energy. More modern approaches to acupuncture theorize that it actually stimulates the production of the body’s own painkillers. Many owners like this because the needles are small enough to cause very little pain when used.
Magnet Therapy
Blankets and wraps that incorporate magnets have become very popular on the market. The theory of magnets is that each cell in our body emits a magnetic charge. By applying magnets to the outside of the body, it is supposed to stimulate the cells to act in a different manner, which then would relieve pain. The problem is, there are no studies
that support the use of magnets in therapy. While some studies have shown that magnets can alter a single cell, no studies have shown the same effect on multiple cells within the body. So while in theory, magnetic blankets may look flashy and seem to do something, it may not actually be doing anything. My theory is that what is actually working is the weight, kind of like using a weighted blanket.
Cold Laser
A form of light therapy, this low-emission light form is used to alter cell metabolism to produce certain metabolic products that destroy bad tissue and promote healing. This is
particularly enticing because it is completely non-invasive and has very few side effects. While studies have shown that cold lasers do improve pain scores, the immune system, and tissue growth. However, there is a complete lack of evidence on what laser should be used, what frequency of light, and for how long to treat any disorder.
PEMF
PEMF stands for Pulsed Electro Magnetic Field, which is actually very similar to the magnets mentioned above. However, PEMF uses volts of electricity to supposedly stimulate the body’s cells to open their channels, allowing electricity in or out, kind of like
kind of like a battery. It is theorized that by doing this, it allows the cells to change how they emit pain or inflammatory mediators. Studies have shown that there is evidence that PEMF works, especially on healing bone fractures and depression, which is what it is FDA approved for. Off-label use includes tissue healing and joint pain. However, like cold laser therapy, there is no evidence of the frequency of electromagnetic waves to use, or for how long.
It’s understandable that owners (and humans in general) want to find other methods to treat their ailments other than conventional drug therapy. Drugs come with many side effects, some of which are quite detrimental. Using alternative treatment modalities can often be very helpful, as long as you are aware of the benefits and limitations of each modality you’d like to use. Do your research and make sure you are looking at credible sources. The best way to use alternative therapies is to use it in conjunction with conventional medicine. By employing both, we can often give our equine friends the most benefits. And of course there are many other methods of alternative therapy: shock wave, theraplate, therapeutic ultrasound, etc. If you have any questions, be sure to ask your veterinarian.
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