Chronic & Persistent Pain
Living with long-term pain can be exhausting, both physically and emotionally. Many people come to us after trying medication or other treatments, still searching for lasting relief. At Health Point Clinic, we specialise in supporting those with chronic and persistent pain by combining acupuncture and massage to reduce discomfort, improve mobility, and restore quality of life.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia can cause widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance. Our treatments focus on calming the nervous system, reducing muscle tension, and improving energy levels, helping patients feel more in control of their symptoms.
Neuropathic Pain
Nerve-related pain such as sciatica, trapped nerves, tingling, or numbness can be especially stubborn and difficult to manage. Acupuncture is particularly effective in modulating nerve activity, while massage helps ease the secondary muscle tension that often develops alongside nerve pain.
Complex Pain Conditions
Some patients experience pain that does not fit a clear diagnosis or persists despite medical intervention. Our holistic approach means we don’t just focus on the site of pain, but look at the whole body, lifestyle, and stress levels to create a personalised treatment plan.
Acupuncture Research
Acupuncture is included in the NICE guidelines for Chronic pain (primary and secondary) in over 16s: assessment of all chronic pain and management of chronic primary pain (CG193) and headaches: diagnosis and management (CG150)
In recent years high-quality clinical trials investigating acupuncture have been conducted, particularly for chronic pain conditions. Therefore, there is evidence available, and the systematic reviews can draw firm conclusions. A systematic review of high-quality trials, Vickers et al 2018, involving over 20,000 adults with osteoarthritis, chronic headache or musculoskeletal pain (back, neck or shoulder) concluded:
- acupuncture was more effective than control for all pain conditions (pragmatic trials)
- acupuncture is not a placebo for treatment of chronic pain
- the effects persisted over time (15% reduction at one year)
Booking Tip: With chronic pain, progress is often best achieved through a series of treatments, rather than expecting instant results. We will work with you to set realistic goals and gradually reduce pain while improving daily function.
Further Acupuncture Research:
- Reduce long-term pain for multiple chronic conditions (1)
- Benefits shown to last at least a year (2)
- Works beyond placebo with measurable physiological effects (3)
- Safe complement to conventional chronic pain therapies (4)
- Vickers AJ, Vertosick EA, Lewith G, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis. J Pain 2018;19(5):455-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2017.11.005
- MacPherson H, Vickers A, Bland M, et al. Acupuncture for chronic pain and depression in primary care: a programme of research. 2017 doi: 10.3310/pgfar05030
- Coutaux A. Joint Bone Spine 2017;84:657–61; Vickers, A.J., et al., Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis. The journal of pain : official journal of the American Pain Society, 2018. 19(5): p. 455-474.
- Yin C, et al. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 2017;30:583–92