My chartered physiotherapist does dry needling in my knee and hip, I find it works very well for pain relief. She also gives me some exercises which have really helped, I wasn’t so lucky with the NHS physio for my knee the exercises they have made my knee much worse.
If it really plays up she says to take the full course of ibuprofen for 3 days to get on top of the pain and inflammation rather than taking the odd one or two. My sympathies to your husband as chronic pain is quite depressing.