Acupuncture appears to work by releasing endorphins, the body's natural pain-killers, into the system.

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Naved, 29, was unable to get up and needed oxygen and pain-killers before an ambulance took him to hospital.

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By contrast Britain's firemen, notoriously, have in past decades for the most part stubbornly refused training in such medical skills as administering pain-killers, or to carry equipment such as defibrillators (for treating heart attacks).

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"Also, you can take symptomatic treatments - pain killers and hot tasty drinks, " he said.

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She was found the following week having taken an overdose of pain killers in her VW Polo in a lay-by in Cornwall.

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