There are novel and highly effective ways to treat pain being developed, like capsaicin injections, but development is moving at a snails' pace. Not enough money being put into it, probably.

There are also less novel treatments for pain like ketamine/esketamine, the latter being a nasal spray. But this isn't allowed to be used (regulatory red tape) even though it's safer than opioids. They won't let you take esketamine nasal spray home, it has to be administered at a clinic, and prescribing for pain is considered off-label use.