An American review of studies into pain concluded that acupuncture has a clear effect in reducing chronic pain, more so than standard pain treatment, achieving 50% reduction in pain, compared to a 28% pain reduction for standard pain treatment.

Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis

Other treatment modalities for pain listed by Dr Joseph Mercola in his article featuring this research include Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), massage, chiropractic adjustments, energy psychology tools, and neuro-structural integration technique (NST.)

Alternatives to over-the-counter and prescription pain medications include astaxanthin, ginger, curcumin, boswellia, cayenne cream, bromelaine, Cetyl Myristoleate, and evening primrose, black currant and borage oils.

Acupuncture Confirmed Helpful for Chronic Pain