Balneotherapy and therapeutic baths, massage, and acupuncture have been evaluated and found to treat a variety of chronic pain conditions. These techniques have the advantage of not requiring prescription, medications or surgery. They are also completely reversible and have little potential to cause lasting harm.
I deliberately limit my professional discussion to therapies that have solid published literature in peer-reviewed journals to support them. I realize there are many alternative therapies. Please don’t consider this a definitive guide to alternative treatment options if that is something you would like to pursue.