Health & Fitness

Pain Therapy

Physician hones procedure via Honduras experience.

R

obert Krasnick, M.D., has
been practicing pain man-
agement in Warren for 12
years. Several years ago, he traveled to
Honduras to learn and treat patients
with a form of pain therapy known as
prolotherapy.
Dr. Krasnick is one of a few local
physicians trained in this alternative
medical procedure.
Last month, he returned to
Honduras on a medical mission along
with doctors from all over the United
States. This was his fourth time trav-
eling to the country to treat and re-
evaluate previously treated patients
utilizing prolotherapy.
Prolotherapy is an injection tech-
nique to treat chronic neck, back or
joint pain.
"You inject a proliferant [dextrose
or sugar water solution] around areas
of poor healing, such as tendons, liga-
ments and cartilage he said. "These
areas have very little blood supply
and are prone to frequent injury.
The injected solution creates inflam-
mation, which is the body's natural
response to injury. This jump starts
the healing process and stimulates
those areas to heal."
The medical mission is sponsored
by the nonprofit Hackett-Hemwall
Foundation of Madison, Wis., which
has been assisting the people of
Honduras for 40 years. The missions
involve 80-90 physicians each year
who visit Honduras to provide prolo-
therapy treatment on approximately
2,500 patients during a two-week
period.
"It's a great experience being able
to help these people Krasnick said.
"Honduras is one of the poorest coun-
tries in the world and medical care is
equally poor."
Prolotherapy is still considered to
be alternative medicine. However,
as research grows on the treatment,
Krasnick believes it will become a pri-
mary method to treat musculoskeletal
pain. Although the treatment dates
back to the 1930s, most people and
many physicians haven't heard of it.
At his practice, the Center for
Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation,
Krasnick uses prolotherapy as one of

Dr. Robert Krasnick, on far right, with Dr. Patrick Leary, a sports medicine

physician from Erie Penn., and a patient from Honduras

"This jump-starts the healing process and
stimulates those areas to heal."

- Pain management specialist Dr. Robert Krasnick

his treatment options.
"It's nonsurgical, has very good
results and can be done in the office,"
he said. "Most patients can be treated
in 30-45 minutes. The most common
areas we treat are the spine, knees,
shoulders and elbows. Whether the
pain is caused by arthritis, injury or
repetitive strain, prolotherapy is a
way to treat the pain and obtain per-

manent relief unlike a cortisone or
steroid shot, which can decrease pain
but don't stimulate healing."

Dr. Robert Krasnick lives with his wife and

three children in Huntington Woods. The

Life After
50 Expo

outhfield-based JVS will offer
an all-day expo for individu-
als older than 50. Primetime!
Life After 50 will be held on Sunday,
April 19, from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at
the Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield.
The expo will include guest speakers,
breakout sessions and vendors.
"There's never been a better time for
this type of expo," said Paul Blatt, JVS
director of career and business servic-
es."A large part of the population over
age 50 are nearing or at retirement and
asking themselves, 'What am I going to
do for the rest of my life?' Others have
been pushed into early retirement or
have to delay their retirement plans
because of the economy."
The expo will address these issues
and offer tips for people no matter
where they are in the employment and
retirement cycle. Topics will focus on
employment, retirement, finances, well-
ness and identity.
Jeri Sedlar, co-author of the New York
Times bestseller Don't Retire, Rewire!
is one of the event's keynote speakers.
She will talk about the five steps to
fulfilling work that fuels one's passion,
personality and pockets.
Neurologist Rhonna Shatz, D.O., direc-
tor of behavioral neurology at Henry
Ford Health Systems and an expert on
Alzheimer's disease, will speak about
"Maximizing Your Brain Power."
The expo will introduce the com-
munity to the latest set of JVS services,
offered through its new "Life After 50
Center!' The center will offer sessions
on career transition and related topics,
such as creative retirement, emotional
and social issues, finances, wellness
and lifestyles.
Sponsors for Prime Time! include:
Oakland University, Henry Ford
Health System West Bloomfield, Jewish
Community Center, Lillian & Joseph
Schwartz Charitable Fund, Harry &
Jeannette Weinberg Foundation, Inc.,
the Jewish News, Huron Valley-Sinai
Hospital, Weight Watchers and Fox 2.
Prime Time! Life After 50 is free
Individuals can attend for the whole
day or choose seminars.

❑

Center for Physical Medicine/Rehabilitation

is at 13850 E. 12 Mile, Warren. (586) 552-

4499.

For more information, visit
www.jvsdet.org.

April 9 2009

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