With healing, simply erasing symptoms is never the ideal. The symptoms are meant to lead you to discover the source of the difficulty.
Having my own experiences of illness and doing the work to truly understand and resolve the underlying issues has shown me that the problem is rarely purely physical. There is an inner idea, conflict, or lack of coordination behind the symptoms.
I was unfortunate enough to inherit a family tendency towards arthritis. After months of persistent self discovery, I was able to address the true cause that was crippling my hands. Underneath it all I was doing what many of us do: blocking myself from following my authentic interests and values. When I realized I needed to get out of my own way, the pain ended, and all symptoms vanished. A decade later, they have not returned.
Rather than medicating or managing the symptoms, I searched my own heart and mind for the truth. Energy healing such as etheric body or Reiki facilitates the process of self discovery, reestablishing communication and coordination between body, mind, and spirit.
In cases of longstanding or severe health difficulties, it is worth asking yourself what natural inclinations, impetus towards action or change, or heartfelt desires have you denied. The body so often expresses the inner state. Where natural motion and action is blocked--often from well intended and practical considerations--the body is caught between crisscrossed urges with no clear option for action. Those states become blocks.
Pain is always a sign of hampered flow of motion, emotion, ideas and action. When the flow of energy is restored, the pain eases and the natural balancing and healing powers of the body, mind, and spirit bring about resolution and wellbeing.
With learnable techniques, you can bring forth recognition of the ideas, urges, and emotions that are "knotted" up in the body. Sometimes the associations will be obvious. Sometimes they lie several layers down, but they are always unmistakable when recognized.
While the basic techniques are simple to learn, no one can apply them for you. Teachers and healers provide encouragement, support, and extra energies to boost you along--but the power has been in you all along.