The Growing Demand for Acupuncture

Arkady Kiner has served American Acupuncture Therapeutics PC as an acupuncturist since 1999. In this capacity, Arkady Kiner provides alternative medical care for a variety of physical and psychological conditions.

The need for acupuncture treatment around the world is expected to see unprecedented expansion in the coming years, with forecasts through 2023 reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 14.5 percent. Although traditionally a Chinese technique, acupuncture has become popular in the US and Western regions, thanks to growth in alternative health care practices. More and more people also see acupuncture as a low-risk and effective method for controlling and treating chronic pain and illnesses. Furthermore, increasing insurance coverage for acupuncture treatment has encouraged patients to try the procedure.

Another factor spurring growth is the rising incidence of gynecological disorders such as menstrual complaints, infertility, and pregnancy issues, as well as those related to menopause. The growing incidence of chronic conditions such as migraines, which can contribute to insomnia and psychological disorders, has also boosted demand. In addition, patients are being drawn in by advanced acupuncture treatments that use laser devices and electro-acupuncture.

How Medical Practitioners Can Improve Their Listening Skills

Arkady Kiner, a New York acupuncturist, practices at American Acupuncture Therapeutics, PC. Treating a variety of physical and psychological issues, he uses both acupuncture and massage therapy at his practice. Further, Arkady Kiner maintains a reputation for his strong listening skills.

Physicians and other medical practitioners must be skilled in listening to ensure they provide patients with the correct diagnosis and care. Following are several ways for medical practitioners to improve listening skills:

- Concentrate on the patient. A good portion of communication is nonverbal, so you must be close enough and focused enough to notice the nonverbal cues your patients are giving. This means sitting observing their facial expressions and regularly making eye contact. Continue watching the patient when you talk, and address any changes in your patient’s demeanor.

- Don’t interrupt. On average, physicians interrupt patients within 23 seconds. To avoid this, always let patients finish what they are saying, regardless of whether it requires an explanation. While patients are talking, don’t think about what you’re going to say in response. Give them your undivided attention.

- Take note of the tone. Listening to the tone of a patient’s voice can be helpful. Sometimes, tone tells you more than a patient’s words and may suggest that the patient is struggling with depression, anger, or some physical issue causing distress.

Common Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

An acupuncturist at American Acupuncture Therapeutics, PC, Arkady Kiner has been in practice for 20 years. During that time, he has diagnosed and treated a wide range of conditions affecting patients’ well-being and general health. Arkady Kiner is particularly familiar with diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

MSDs affect the bones, joints, and muscles, and they become more common with age. One example of an MSD is fibromyalgia, a condition that is known for being quite difficult to treat. However, it can be treated or managed with acupuncture.

Among people with fibromyalgia, the most notable symptom is often widespread pain. This condition causes the brain to process pain signals incorrectly, thus causing people to have a heightened pain response. Typically, this pain occurs on both sides of the body and changes in severity from incapacitating to mild. Further, it lasts for at least three months and is most often experienced at the body’s tender points, such as the elbows, knees, and lower back.

Beyond pain, people with fibromyalgia often report experiencing fatigue, regardless of how much they sleep the night before. In some cases, this feeling of fatigue makes simple tasks like grocery shopping or folding clothes seem like too much effort. This fatigue is exacerbated by the fact that people with fibromyalgia frequently are awoken by pain and have other sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea.

Finally, cognitive and mood issues are often associated with fibromyalgia. Once diagnosed, many patients develop anxiety and depression due to the stress of dealing with chronic pain and poor sleep. On top of that, people with fibromyalgia frequently report having problems with short-term memory, attention, and concentration.

How the ASA Promotes Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

As an acupuncturist at American Acupuncture Therapeutics, PC, Arkady Kiner utilizes traditional Oriental medicine techniques to help patients achieve optimal health and wellness. Arkady Kiner, with an MA in Oriental medicine, is a member of the American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA).

The ASA, comprised of nearly 4,000 members in 27 state member associations, seeks to promote acupuncture and East Asian medicine throughout the world by acting as an informational resource for policymakers, members of the Western medical community, and the general public. The society also works with international legislators to ensure the best expression of this mode of medicine. 

The ASA provides its members with an array of professional networking opportunities, governance training, operational tools, and practice development resources to promote the field of Oriental medicine and its health benefits. One of these resources is the society’s official journal, Meridians. Free to all members, the journal contains peer-reviewed scientific articles focused on the professional practice of Oriental medicine and acupuncture.

How Acupuncture Treats Emotional Issues

Arkady Kiner holds a bachelor’s in medical science and a master’s in Oriental medicine from Mercy College. An experienced acupuncturist, Arkady Kiner assists patients with a wide range of health conditions, including physical and emotional issues. 

In Chinese medicine, which recognizes that the emotions profoundly affect the body, the five elements of water, wood, fire, earth, and metal correspond to feelings of fear, anger, happiness, worry, and grief, respectively. Acupuncture seeks to address emotional issues by correcting imbalances in the flow of energy, or qi, throughout the body. It does so by stimulating specific points along channels called meridians. 

Stimulating these points is believed to affect the internal organs and help them to regain normal function when proper energy flow is restored. For example, depression is thought to relate to poor qi flow involving the liver, heart, and spleen and is treated by stimulating points on the body that correspond to these organs. 

Research shows that acupuncture also benefits other disorders related to depression, such as anxiety, and is as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy. Further, a study published in the Journal of Endocrinology found that stress hormones, often involved in disorders such as anxiety and depression, were lower in rats treated with electric acupuncture.

Three Health Conditions That Benefit from Acupuncture Treatment

With a master’s in Oriental medicine from Mercy College, Arkady Kiner holds status as a diplomate of acupuncture with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. As an acupuncturist at American Acupuncture Therapeutics in New York, Arkady Kiner offers treatments to prevent illness and help patients recover health and wellness. 

Acupuncture has been found to have numerous health benefits, including the following:

1. Reducing insomnia. According to a 2009 study conducted by the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, acupuncture reduces insomnia in patients who are using no other forms of treatment and further improves sleep in patients who are taking medications or herbs. Unlike medications for insomnia, acupuncture has no adverse side effects.

2. Enhancing recovery following chemotherapy. Research shows that acupuncture helps in cancer recovery by boosting the immune system, improving platelet count, and preventing a reduction in healthy cells following radiation treatment. Acupuncture also helps to reduce pain from cancer treatments, minimizes side effects, and improves the overall quality of life for patients receiving chemotherapy.

3. Protecting against cognitive decline. Studies show that the areas of the brain typically affected by Parkinson’s disease, including the putamen and the thalamus, benefit from acupuncture, as it can slow cognitive degradation. In 2002 the Neurology Department at the University of Maryland School of Medicine conducted a study in which Parkinson’s patients were treated with acupuncture. Eighty-five percent of the participants reported a reduction in symptoms such as tremors, depression, slowness, and anxiety.

Important Texts in the History of Traditional Chinese Medicine

As an acupuncturist at American Acupuncture Therapeutics, PC, Arkady Kiner promotes healing in patients living with conditions such as chronic pain and psychological issues. Arkady Kiner attended Mercy College, earning a master’s in Oriental medicine, which involves the ancient medicinal traditions of generations of Oriental cultures.

This knowledge has been recorded in a variety of classic foundational texts, including The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic. Written before 200 BCE, the Inner Classic lays the foundational principles of traditional Chinese medicine, presenting a compilation of techniques and medical philosophies used at the time and a discussion of the anatomy and physiology of the human body.

Meanwhile, The Systematic Classic of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, compiled in the third century, contains 12 volumes and 128 chapters on acupuncture. It also includes moxibustion techniques, which involve the burning of mugwort root to stimulate healing. In addition to providing information on the known 349 acupuncture points and the various benefits of stimulating each, it discusses acupuncture contraindications, needle manipulations, and channels and collaterals.

The earliest book written about natural herbs, titled The Herbal, was passed down from the Qin and Han dynasties (ranging from 221 BCE to 220 CE). It contains pharmaceutical knowledge and explains 365 types of drugs and their respective actions.

Written by Sun Simiao in 652 CE, Prescriptions for Emergencies Worth a Thousand Gold is a 30-volume text containing 5,300 prescriptions. It presents knowledge on treating deficiency diseases and discusses diet therapy, prevention, moxibustion, acupuncture, and health maintenance.