There are a number of methods of pain reduction available to those suffering from a physical injury. For a short term solution for pain or swelling reduction that can assist in the introduction of other long term solutions (exercise prescription, manual therapy), physiotherapists use electrotherapy and other modalities. While each method differs from one another when it comes to which one is best suited to a specific type of injury, one common theme of electrotherapy and local modalities is their use of an energy increase to help with pain reduction and the healing process. The type of energy used varies from electric, to light, magnetic, sonic and heat, depending on the specific method being used. The following are the most common electrotherapy and modalities used, as methods to reduce pain and inflammation while the injury is being healed: