QMY friend suggested that I try acupuncture to help with the pain I have developed in my shoulder recently. The doctor gave me painkillers which take the edge off it but only last a short while. What do you think?

AIF you have had your shoulder examined by a doctor who feels that there is no serious cause for your pain then why not give acupuncture a try? This form of alternative therapy has been around far longer than modern medicine, practised in China and otherFar Eastern countries for thousands of years.

It is thought to work by encouraging the body to release its own natural pain killers, called endorphins, that are stimulated by the insertion of tiny needles into particular points in the skin.

Anaesthetists often use it to help manage chronic pain and I even read of someone being operated on using acupuncture as an anaesthetic. I wouldn't necessarily advise this but it may help your shoulder.

Ask your GP to recommend a good qualified therapist.

From Healthy.net