Research from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has found electroacupuncture has a high success rate in the treatment of equine trigeminal nerve-mediated headshaking (TMHS).
Almost two thirds (64%) of horses who took part in the study showed an improvement in TMHS following their final treatment, while 33% showed a complete resolution of signs and symptoms.
TMHS is a painful and distressing disease which causes horses to uncontrollably shake, jerk or flick their head. The exact cause of TMHS is not yet known but it is presumed that the trigeminal nerve (a large nerve which runs across the face) in affected horses reacts excessively to external stimulation. There is currently no cure for the condition and extreme cases can lead to euthanasia.
Electroacupuncture is a form of acupuncture which passes an electric current between acupuncture needles to change the pain perception in the nerve. The advantages of electroacupuncture include the fact that it has a low complication rate and that it can be carried out successfully in the yard.
Retrospective cases
A team of researchers at the RVC, who were led by Bettina Dunkel, head of RVC Equine and professor in Equine Internal Medicine, Emergency and Critical Care, and four external collaborators, used a multicentre retrospective case series of 42 horses who were treated for TMHS with electroacupuncture between 2015 and 2024 by one of the participating veterinarians. The electroacupuncture machine was kindly sponsored by the RVC’s Animal Care Trust.
The team obtained data which included the profile of the patient, the history, duration and severity of TMHS, the diagnostic tests performed, the number of electroacupuncture treatments and the effect of treatment as perceived by the owner or primary veterinarian, from the sample group. They also asked the horse owners or primary veterinarian to provide the grades of headshaking before the first and after the last treatment using a scale of 0 to 3.
Research findings showed that the electroacupuncture procedure was well tolerated by all horses and there was a significant improvement in their headshaking with the median grade before treatment being graded at a 3, after treatment that had improved to a 1.
No improvement was seen in 31% of cases and two horses (4.8%) experienced worsening of clinical signs post-treatment.
‘Viable treatment option’
“Electroacupuncture is a viable treatment option for horses suffering from this devastating disease,” said Professor Dunkel.
“We are very pleased with the results of the study and hope that it will encourage veterinarians and horse owners to pursue this treatment option.”
Researchers suggested that changing the duration of the electroacupuncture treatment or electrical frequencies used could help increase the success rate and create longer remission periods. Ruling out other causes of headshaking as much as possible prior to treatment is also essential.
Main image © Royal Veterinary College.
