What Therapeutic Tool Provides Effective Pain Relief In Horses?

Electrical stimulation is an effective therapeutic tool for both pain relief and for the treatment of muscular and circulatory dysfunction. High pulse rates produce superficial sensory stimulation, which overrides slower deep pain fibers. Low pulse rates stimulate endorphinergic analgesia similar to the effects of acupuncture. Electrical stimulation can deactivate trigger points, thereby reducing pain from orthopedic injuries. It can also locate muscle motor points and initiate stimulation of rhythmic muscle pumping, thereby increasing muscle flow while decreasing muscle spasticity and atrophy. Stimulation hastens the removal of waste products and metabolites from injured areas. It stimulates microcirculation, enabling revascularization in ischemic tissue and speeding wound healing. Therapeutic uses include equine hip and back pain and spasm, atrophy from radial nerve damage, and laminitis.