Teething is no fun for anybody. I remember the two year molars being the worst of it, though. It doesn't last forever.
I'd stick with the pain reliever for awhile and all the good frozen suggestions you've gotten here. For some reason - maybe because of the associated fever - our son's was worse at night and in the middle of the night. Poor babe. We'd bring him in and let him sleep with us, just because it made him feel better.
He went right back to sleeping on his own when it was over.
Good luck!