Soaking in the water is the BEST treatment for my pain issues.

I had always attributed it to the buoyancy of the water easing the load on my vertebrae and that I've always associated the water with relaxation.

A book that I've read called Earthing (google Earthing or grounding) talks about the effects positive free radicals on affecting our health. It claims that grounding, getting back to walking barefoot in the grass, dirt, or sand allows our bodies to get negative ions from the earth to combat free radicals. According to that theory, floating around in water, exposing most of your body to the effect of the earths negative ions, whether from the sea, or even in an inground pool, helps fight the free radicals. The book also promoted the companies grounding products, including chair pads and sheets. I am normally a skeptical cynic. I purchased a grounding sheet after not being able to sleep for more than an hour or two at a time for years since my pain issues started. Now I am able to get my 10+ hours (that seems to be what my body requires now), no problem.