For many mild to moderate injuries, simple treatments can often be the most effective. With proper rest and care, your muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints may heal on their own.

In many cases, your doctor will recommend over-the-counter medications to reduce joint inflammation, pain and stiffness. If over-the-counter medications are not adequately managing your pain, your doctor may prescribe a variety of medications to help reduce your inflammation, relax your muscles and manage your pain.

After certain injuries, immobilizing the injured area with a splint, brace, cast or sling helps to ensure proper healing, reduce stress on the joint and provide pain relief. Your doctor may also recommend assistive devices such as crutches to help with your mobility and avoid putting pressure on the injured bone or joint while you recover.

For pain that is a result of certain chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis, your doctor may recommend corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation, or nerve block injections to prevent your nerves from sending pain signals to your brain. These treatments can often provide long-lasting pain relief.

Platelet-rich plasma therapy is a type of regenerative medicine that uses the body's own powerful healing mechanisms. Injecting concentrated of platelet-rich plasma into an injured area can accelerate healing after certain types of injuries. Platelet-rich plasma is made by taking a few vials of your blood and using a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets. An ultrasound device is then used to guide the needle to the injured area for a precise injection.

Physical therapy is an important part of the recovery process after many orthopedic conditions and injuries. Stretching and specialized exercises designed to strengthen the muscles around the affected area can help you regain your movement and range of motion, and stabilize injured joints, helping you to recover faster and prevent a recurrence.

Our orthopedic team at Einstein works closely with MossRehab, a part of the Einstein Healthcare Network and one of the top-ranked rehabilitation facilities in the country.