Acupuncture

Yes, I had a few sessions for chronic pain of several years' duration, persuaded by a friend. I was a sceptic and didn't think it would work. 

It did work, and so now I'm no longer a sceptic. 

I suppose there may be something in a practice that has endured for thousands of years, after all. 

Acupuncture is pretty mainstream now, evidently it does work for people.

Thanks, I go to a osteopath occasionally when the pain gets too much. Pain I can generally deal with but this stress is really getting the better of me.

I had it at a pain clinic and apart from when I had a session when I had a frozen muscle in my shoulder found it no use whatsoever. But, the type of acupuncture used within the NHS and by many others is whats called symptomatic accupunture, this was the only sort of acupuncture allowed by Chairman Mao during the cultural revolution. It seeks to replicate the western approach of treating symptoms as they arise. Traditional accupuncture takes a different more holistic approach and aims to keep you well, rather than just treating you when you're sick. I would like to try traditional accupuncture, we're lucky in the UK as many tradtional practitioners escaped here and set up practices and schools.

For back pain I'd see an osteopath or chiropractor, if the skeletons out of whack then the muscles will be pulled out of whack too and they will set around an injury site to support it, but this also means greater stress on other areas.

I think about the only things that worked for chronic stress for me was a couple of weeks on a silent meditation retreat.

I had acupuncture many years ago for stress and anxiety and it was really helpful. I haven’t had it again since because I find it very difficult to go and see anyone whose even vaguely related to anything ‘medical’ or treatment related as I have been trying to get over PTSD resulting from a long hospital admission. But for anyone thinking of trying acupuncture for stress and anxiety i can say that from my experience it really did help my anxiety for a while. Even from the first appointment I felt some benefit.  Of course it’s extremely important to find a reputable and experienced acupuncturist - so people need to do their research. Definitely worth a try :)