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.
