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Regenerative Treatments
FOR CHRONIC BACK PAIN

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Back pain can occur from a sprain or strain from lifting something heavy, overuse, poor posture or simply twisting your back in a particular way. This is due to stretching of the ligaments and tendons in the back or a temporary bulging of the disk which is located between the vertebrae of the spine. For many, this pain resolves in a few weeks with rest. For some patients, the pain does not go away and if it has been present for 12 or more weeks it is called chronic back pain. If this describes you, then join the club of over 80% of people in the United States that suffer from recurring or chronic lower back pain.

Patients with chronic back pain develop weakness which leads to more pain due to spinal instability. The back is held in place by tendons, ligaments and fascia. Spinal instability arises when the tendons, ligaments, and fascia become weak leading to more pain causing a recurring pain cycle. Fortunately, many causes of back pain can be treated with regenerative medicine therapies. Dr. Krasnick’s chronic back pain treatments are safe, effective, and do not require surgery.

Chronic conditions that lead to spinal instability and pain include:

Back pain can occur from a sprain or strain from lifting something heavy, overuse, poor posture or simply twisting your back in a particular way. This is due to stretching of the ligaments and tendons in the back or a temporary bulging of the disk which is located between the vertebrae of the spine. For many, this pain resolves in a few weeks with rest. For some patients, the pain does not go away and if it has been present for 12 or more weeks it is called chronic back pain. If this describes you, then join the club of over 80% of people in the United States that suffer from recurring or chronic lower back pain.

Patients with chronic back pain develop weakness which leads to more pain due to spinal instability. The back is held in place by tendons, ligaments and fascia. Spinal instability arises when the tendons, ligaments, and fascia become weak leading to more pain causing a recurring pain cycle. Fortunately, many causes of back pain can be treated with regenerative medicine therapies. Dr. Krasnick’s chronic back pain treatments are safe, effective, and do not require surgery.

Chronic conditions that lead to spinal instability and pain include:

Recurring Sprains & Strains
Have you developed back pain from a sprain or strain more than once and is it taking longer for the pain to go away? Sprains and strains account for most acute back pain. Sprains are caused by overstretching or tearing ligaments which are the connections between bones, and strains are tears in muscle or tendons which connect muscles to bones. Both can occur from twisting or lifting something either too heavy or lifting and twisting in such a way to cause the injury. Spasms in the surrounding muscles can also occur and be very painful. Although many people are able to recover from low back pain injuries, if you have “thrown out your back” on more than one occasion you may have developed spinal instability and this can lead to chronic back pain.
Herniated & Bulging Discs
Degenerative and herniated discs account for both acute and chronic back pain. The discs are small rubber-like substances that act as a cushion between the vertebrae. There are tendons, ligaments and nerves that surround the discs. If the disc degenerates due to arthritis, aging, or trauma then the spine becomes stiffer and does not bend or flex as easily and can cause pain. The discs can also become compressed and bulge and push outward (herniate) from trauma, lifting something heavy or twisting the back. Sometimes patients cannot even recall the traumatic event and just wake up with back pain.

When a disc moves from its normal space between vertebrae, it puts pressure on the ligaments and nerves that surround it. This causes pain from pressure on the nerves as well as muscle spasms. The pain leads to weakness, spinal instability and more pain.

Sciatica
Sciatica is a form of nerve injury or radiculopathy caused by pressure on the large nerve that arises from the spine and extends through the buttocks and down the back of the leg. Pain can be a shock-like or burning low back pain. Sometimes it can be felt all the way down to the foot and can involve weakness of the leg. Often the disc that acts as a cushion between two vertebrae degenerates, bulges or herniates out, putting pressure on the Sciatic Nerve causing the pain.
SacroIliac Joint Pain (SI Pain)
The SacroIliac joint, also known as the SI joint is located between the lowest portion of the spine called the sacrum and the pelvis. It is one of the more common areas of back pain in adults.

The SI joint is held together and attached to the spine by ligaments. These ligaments can become weak and cause pain from arthritis of the joint, trauma from falling, pregnancy (from stretching the joint), leg length discrepancies (one leg longer than another) and from joints being too loose (hypermobility).

Arthritis of the Spine & Degenerative Disc Disease
Arthritis is a general term to describe joint pain or joint disease. There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions. People of all ages, sexes and races have arthritis, and it is the leading cause of disability in America. More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children have some type of arthritis. It is most common among women and occurs more frequently as people get older but you do not have to be old to have it affect you.

Common arthritis joint symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness and decreased range of motion. Symptoms may come and go. They can be mild, moderate or severe. They may stay about the same for years but can progress or get worse over time. Severe arthritis can result in chronic pain, inability to do daily activities and make it difficult to walk or climb stairs.

Arthritis can particularly affect the bones of the spine (vertebrae) as well as the space between the vertebrae called discs. When the disc breaks down it is called degenerative disc disease. When arthritis affects the spine and discs one can experience spinal instability and pain.

Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that can cause pain or numbness with walking and over time leads to leg weakness and decreased sensation. The spine can also become unstable from weakening of the surrounding ligaments leading to more pain and weakness causing a vicious pain cycle.

Surgery is sometimes recommended but this does not help strengthen the ligaments that have weakened over time.

Spondylosis – Facet Joint Pain
Spondylosis is another term for arthritis of the spine. Facet joints are the small joints that are along the spinal canal. Facet joints can become arthritic, causing spinal instability and pain.
Facet joint arthritis is a common site of low back pain and this pain can be referred to other areas such as the buttock and hip area.

It is very important to have a thorough history and examination to determine the origin of the pain. This area is also easily accessible to injection therapy and patients with Facet joint pain are good candidates for regenerative therapies.

Traditional therapies for Spondylosis and Facet joint arthritis include steroid injections or Rhizotomy (burning or deadening of the nerve). This is a destructive procedure and can deaden the nerve to the low back muscles causing weakness. Repeated injections of steroids can actually worsen some conditions, lead to poor wound healing, elevated blood sugars and reduce ability to fight infections, osteoporosis, vertebral fracture, cataracts and glaucoma.

Spondylolisthesis
If you have been told you have Spondylolisthesis you most likely have back pain and had an imaging study showing Spondylolisthesis. This is a condition in which a vertebra of the lower spine slips out of place, pinching the nerves exiting the spinal column. This is different from a herniated or bulging disc where the disc, which is a rubbery substance that acts as a cushion between vertebrae moves out of position. Regardless, both conditions lead to pain, weakness and spinal instability.

THE KRASNICK SOLUTION

How can Dr. Krasnick help you recover and restore naturally to health without drugs or surgery?

Back Ultrasound

EXAM & DIAGNOSIS

Before a patient can be treated for chronic back pain, a correct diagnosis must be made.

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Occasionally chronic back pain originates from another part of the body, but is referred to or is felt in the back. This can occur from hip problems or because of another disorder such as: kidney stones, pelvic organ problems or infections (abscess). It is crucial to figure out where the pain is coming from first. Dr. Krasnick will obtain a detailed history and perform a thorough physical examination. Frequently a musculoskeletal ultrasound will be done to understand where your chronic back pain is coming from. If you have any imaging studies such as X-rays, MRI or CT Scans, please bring the actual images to the appointment for Dr. Krasnick to review himself.

Injection Treatment

TREATMENT PROGRAM

Once a diagnosis is made, a comprehensive treatment program will be determined.

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This may include regenerative medical treatments such as: Prolotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), Stem Cell Therapy, Prolozone™, Neural Prolotherapy (Lyftogt Technique®) and Hydrodissection. None of these treatments contain any drugs, steroids, narcotics or NSAIDs, are performed in the office and do not require surgery. Dr. Krasnick performs injections under ultrasound guidance, so he is highly accurate in injecting the treatment to the exact location needed. These treatments allow the body’s own natural healing powers to recover and restore to health.

Balanced Diet

HEALTH & WELLNESS

To optimize treatment, we focus on the whole patient and not just the chronic back pain.

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This means Dr. Krasnick will investigate, discuss and make recommendations about your health and wellness. Important factors in order to optimize outcomes include cellular health. This entails optimizing your nutrition and diet to ensure you are getting the proper macro and micronutrients. Simple changes in diet and addition of vitamins and supplements can go a long way to improving outcomes. Dr. Krasnick will also focus on functional movement, which includes strength and flexibility. We know the body, especially, the musculoskeletal system acts as a whole and therefore pre- and post-treatment exercise or physical therapy will be recommended. Of course treatment and attention to the injured structure (joint or surrounding ligaments and tendons) will be discussed in detail, with specific post-procedure protocols when needed.

A procedure is not always needed and when possible trying to solve the problem with other noninvasive and holistic approaches will be sought.

None of the regenerative chronic back pain treatments contain any drugs, steroids, narcotics or NSAIDs, are performed in the office and do not require surgery. Dr. Krasnick performs injections under ultrasound guidance, so he is highly accurate in injecting the treatment to the exact location needed. These treatments allow the body’s own natural healing powers to recover and restore to health.

If you are looking for a non-surgical, drug-free, natural, alternative pain treatment for your chronic back pain, then contact us at (734) 585-5653 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Krasnick.

OVERVIEW OF BACK PAIN CONDITIONS

Recurring Sprains and Spinal Instability

Keep throwing your back out?

More About This Condition
Have you developed back pain from a sprain or strain more than once and is it taking longer for the pain to go away? Sprains and strains account for most acute back pain. Sprains are caused by overstretching or tearing ligaments which are the connections between bones, and strains are tears in muscle or tendons which connect muscles to bones. Both can occur from twisting or lifting something either too heavy or lifting and twisting in such a way to cause the injury. Spasms in the surrounding muscles can also occur and be very painful. Although many people are able to recover from low back pain injuries, if you have “thrown out your back” on more than one occasion you may have developed spinal instability and this can lead to chronic back pain.

Herniated and Bulging Discs

Have you had to miss work, school or an event due to a disc problem?

More About This Condition
Degenerative and herniated discs account for both acute and chronic back pain. The discs are small rubber-like substances that act as a cushion between the vertebrae. There are tendons, ligaments and nerves that surround the discs. If the disc degenerates due to arthritis, aging, or trauma then the spine becomes stiffer and does not bend or flex as easily and can cause pain. The discs can also become compressed and bulge and push outward (herniate) from trauma, lifting something heavy or twisting the back. Sometimes patients cannot even recall the traumatic event and just wake up with back pain.

When a disc moves from its normal space between vertebrae, it puts pressure on the ligaments and nerves that surround it. This causes pain from pressure on the nerves as well as muscle spasms. The pain leads to weakness, spinal instability and more pain.

Sciatica

What a pain in the butt!

More About This Condition
Sciatica is a form of nerve injury or radiculopathy caused by pressure on the large nerve that arises from the spine and extends through the buttocks and down the back of the leg. Pain can be a shock-like or burning low back pain. Sometimes it can be felt all the way down to the foot and can involve weakness of the leg. Often the disc that acts as a cushion between two vertebrae degenerates, bulges or herniates out, putting pressure on the Sciatic Nerve causing the pain.

SacroIliac Joint Pain (SI Pain)

More About This Condition
The SacroIliac joint, also known as the SI joint is located between the lowest portion of the spine called the sacrum and the pelvis. It is one of the more common areas of back pain in adults.

The SI joint is held together and attached to the spine by ligaments. These ligaments can become weak and cause pain from arthritis of the joint, trauma from falling, pregnancy (from stretching the joint), leg length discrepancies (one leg longer than another) and from joints being too loose (hypermobility).

Arthritis of the Spine and Degenerative Disc Disease

You are not alone, young or old

More About This Condition
Arthritis is a general term to describe joint pain or joint disease. There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions. People of all ages, sexes and races have arthritis, and it is the leading cause of disability in America. More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children have some type of arthritis. It is most common among women and occurs more frequently as people get older but you do not have to be old to have it affect you.

Common arthritis joint symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness and decreased range of motion. Symptoms may come and go. They can be mild, moderate or severe. They may stay about the same for years but can progress or get worse over time. Severe arthritis can result in chronic pain, inability to do daily activities and make it difficult to walk or climb stairs.

Arthritis can particularly affect the bones of the spine (vertebrae) as well as the space between the vertebrae called discs. When the disc breaks down it is called degenerative disc disease. When arthritis affects the spine and discs one can experience spinal instability and pain.

Spinal Stenosis

Before having surgery consider regenerative medicine

More About This Condition
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal column that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that can cause pain or numbness with walking and over time leads to leg weakness and decreased sensation. The spine can also become unstable from weakening of the surrounding ligaments leading to more pain and weakness causing a vicious pain cycle.

Surgery is sometimes recommended but this does not help strengthen the ligaments that have weakened over time.

Spondylosis – Facet Joint Pain

More About This Condition
Spondylosis is another term for arthritis of the spine. Facet joints are the small joints that are along the spinal canal. Facet joints can become arthritic, causing spinal instability and pain.

Facet joint arthritis is a common site of low back pain and this pain can be referred to other areas such as the buttock and hip area.

It is very important to have a thorough history and examination to determine the origin of the pain. This area is also easily accessible to injection therapy and patients with Facet joint pain are good candidates for regenerative therapies.

Traditional therapies for Spondylosis and Facet joint arthritis include steroid injections or Rhizotomy (burning or deadening of the nerve). This is a destructive procedure and can deaden the nerve to the low back muscles causing weakness. Repeated injections of steroids can actually worsen some conditions, lead to poor wound healing, elevated blood sugars and reduce ability to fight infections, osteoporosis, vertebral fracture, cataracts and glaucoma.

Spondylolisthesis

More About This Condition
If you have been told you have Spondylolisthesis you most likely have back pain and had an imaging study showing Spondylolisthesis. This is a condition in which a vertebra of the lower spine slips out of place, pinching the nerves exiting the spinal column. This is different from a herniated or bulging disc where the disc, which is a rubbery substance that acts as a cushion between vertebrae moves out of position. Regardless, both conditions lead to pain, weakness and spinal instability.

Traditional treatments. Have you tried them and still have pain?

Traditional treatment for chronic back pain includes use of pain medications, physical therapy, steroid injections and surgery. Steroids can weaken the immune system and reduce your ability to fight infections, raise blood sugar, weaken bones or worsen osteoporosis and cause weight gain. Repeated use of steroids can worsen glaucoma or cause cataracts. Cortisone injections, though may provide temporary relief and can help when there is an inflammatory condition, can be harmful, especially when they are given repetitively. Repeated injections will cause tissue (tendon, ligament, cartilage) breakdown and can lead to further or accelerated degeneration and tearing of these structures.
Steroids & Ibuprofen
Non-Steroidal-Anti-Inflammatory-Drugs (NSAIDS) such as Ibuprofen, Advil and Motrin can temporarily relieve pain, but also reduce the cells that are needed to repair damaged tendons and ligaments and this can lead to more instability and pain! NSAIDS can also lead to bleeding in the stomach, ulcers and kidney damage. Narcotics are also used but can lead to side effects of constipation and drug dependency. For some patients, surgery is considered, but has greater risks such as infection or more pain.

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