JC Veterinary Acupuncture
Acupuncture treatment has been used for over 5000 years as treatment for pain. With evidence of the practice seen many different cultures all around the world. Nowadays it is strongly associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine and there are over 3000 years worth of ancient texts describing the practice.
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Over the last 40 years acupuncture has been increasing in popularity in Western culture and this has given rise to Western Acupuncture. This is an evidence based practice and is what is used by JC Veterinary Acupuncture. This practice is still delivering a holistic approach but is done so by taking the thousands of years worth of experience and proving the beneficial effects with science and research.
Hi, I'm James. I am originally from Bristol and I graduated from Bristol University Veterinary School in 2014. I then moved to Banbury for my first job in a small animal hospital. In 2016 I went to Langford Veterinary Referral Hospital (the teaching hospital for Bristol University) to complete a one year, residential postgraduate diploma in clinical veterinary practice. Since then I have worked for various practices around Warwickshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. I now live in Rugby with my partner Emma and our three dogs.
Very quickly when I started my career I became passionate about the management of aging pets especially when it came to chronic pain. In practice I would often by guilty of overrunning with these consultations so that I could do everything possible to help my patient's. I have now been running a chronic pain clinic and acupuncture service since 2022 to be able to provide even more care to improve quality of life and wellbeing for my patients.
James Carrier BVSc PGDip(CVP) MRCVS
Acupuncture
What is pain?
Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience that is associated with tissue damage or the potential for damage. And is therefore a leading cause of suffering that requires medical intervention. It is by far the most common reason for the use of acupuncture.
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Overtime the sensation of pain can increase and the area becomes 'hypersensitive'. This is due to the local nerves becoming overly sensitive and more likely to inform the brain of the pain. In some case they may spontaneously send the signals without being provoked.
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How it works...
Acupuncture is the practice of inserting a needle through the skin and into a muscle. The basic form of this practice is called 'dry needling' and is what is performed at this clinic.
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By inserting the needling in the muscles around a painful area we are able to stimulate the nerves and undo the effects of the hypersensitisation. The needles create level of sharp pain (not consciously felt) that will counteract the dull aching pains of the condition being treated. The effects can be immediate, however it is only with repeated treatments that the effects will last. Most patients will need a treatment every 4-6 weeks to maintain the effect.
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Not only do the needles work on the nerves but they also have other effects both locally where they are placed and at distant points in the body. The whole body is connected by the central nervous system. If you get the treatment right then needles in one area can treat another area connected by the same branch of the nervous system.
Whole body effects can be felt as well due to the release of endorphins - the body's natural opioid pain killer with an effect 8 times that of morphine.
What we want to achieve...
Just like people, all animals will have different responses to treatment. Most patients have a very positive response that really helps manage their condition.
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Acupuncture is best used alongside conventional treatments and medications. The aim of the treatment is to better manage your pet's condition and even make them less reliant on their drugs that could have potentially harmful side effects. This is very useful in cases where the use of medication has to be limited.
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Typically acupuncture is used to treat musculoskeletal complaints like osteoarthritis, muscle pains (like tears and spasms), and spinal pain.
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It can also be used to help treat pain after surgery or from other wounds sustained. As well as a multitude of visceral conditions like urinary tract disease, constipation and pain associated with cancer.