Give acupuncture a try, but with an experienced practitioner, possibly Asian-trained. You can ignore the cultural ideas some acupuncturist-herbalists express ("Chi") and base your treatment on interrupting the electrical signals sent along nerve fibers. Interfere with the pain impulses to the brain and thereby relieve the pain. No pain is felt unless the signals from an injured source reaches the brain. Asian acupuncture describes the nerve pathways as "Meridians". These Meridians appear to be nerve fiber networks. This ancient practice was probably developed by trial and error over centuries, with the mysticism added in to help give some explanation as to the "whys". Some practitioners may heat or put small low voltage electrical current into the needles in order to aid the disruption of the pain signals across axions. It may take a few sessions, and they are virtually painless and have no side effects. It's not a cure and any organic cause of your pain will still need to be dealt with by Western medicine, but being rid of pain is worth the time spent. Give it a try. Look in the local telephone directories of cities with sizable Asian populations, which is the main source of their clientele, and seek out reputable practitioners.
