photography by SAIL OFF PHOTOGRAPHY
Always supporting their community with new techniques that allow patients to resume active, productive lives, Aligned Health & Wellness is celebrating one year in their Winston-Salem location and sharing yet another practice expansion.
In January of 2024, due to the high demand for neuropathy expertise and to accommodate those traveling distances for care, they also launched a third location in Burlington, NC. As Drs. Jessica and Joshua Katz continue to expand their heartfelt care for patients that began in Kernersville in 2007, the husband-and-wife team remains true to their primary mission of empowering people to reclaim a life free of pain!
Knowledge is power, and Jessica and Joshua are honored to be part of your healing journey. They are pleased to offer the community a series of lunch-and-learn educational seminars on a new non-drug based approach to peripheral neuropathy with a 95% success rate. Seminars will be held every Tuesday in both April and May, beginning at 11:30 a.m., at the Olive Garden located at 170 Hanes Mall Circle in Winston-Salem. Reservations are required and can be made by calling the Aligned Health & Wellness office at 336.600.2477. If you’ve found yourself putting life “on hold” and shying away from long walks, gardening or outings with grandchildren, come hear what options may be available to you!
Current patient Kathy Beck, age 68, shares that other than neuropathy symptoms, she feels more like she’s 30!
“I have been dealing with this pain for seven or eight years, and a friend told me about one of the practice’s luncheons last September,” Kathy explains. “I had my first appointment with Dr. Jessica mid-October, and I’m definitely seeing results!”
Her praise for Aligned Health & Wellness is personal!
“They make you feel like you are their only patient,” she shares. “Jessica was fully focused on me, not a computer screen or a list of questions. She is honest and realistic, and the entire practice is so efficient and nice.”
For now, Kathy sees Dr. Jessica for testing every three months and participates in two sessions a day on both her feet and hands – at home, on her own.
“Jessica is very encouraging and knows life sometimes gets in the way,” adds Kathy. “If you can only get in one session daily, that’s still progress. And, I make sure my vitamin levels stay up.”
A retired teacher with a happy, active life filled with her grown children and beloved grandchildren, Kathy says she previously walked two miles every day, but had to give that up when her symptoms appeared. Paired with the rheumatoid arthritis she inherited on both sides of her family, the daunting idea of using a wheelchair keeps her motivated.
“I especially love walking on a sandy beach, but even that became too hard, and I needed a few days to recover,” she adds. At even the slightest mention of using a wheelchair on the beach, she knew she was in the right place – and in good hands – at Aligned Health & Wellness. Kathy says it’s the perfect team effort – they focus on the patient, and you do your part, as well!
Understanding Peripheral Neuropathy
Eliminating pain is the first step to returning patients to their previous activity levels and enjoying time with their family and friends. Dr. Jessica explains their goal is to treat neuropathy patients without surgery or the introduction of medications.
If you’ve recently received a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy, you have questions, fears and possible misconceptions the doctors are eager to clarify. Peripheral neuropathy is defined as damage to the nerves of the periphery – the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. For most, symptoms will begin intermittently in one extremity only. As the condition progresses, it can affect both limbs, pain becomes more frequent and intensity increases as the damage progresses. While every patient is different, progression may be slower in the earliest stage but can worsen rapidly later on. At your initial appointment, the doctors determine your stage of severity and the best treatment plans available.
While the reality is that there isn’t one single medication to cure neuropathy, that doesn’t mean nothing can be done to improve your situation!
“Nerve tissues need oxygen and nutrients (just like any other cell) to be able to rebuild and repair themselves effectively. The body is constantly rebuilding and repairing itself, and when there’s enough oxygen and nutrients, the process keeps our cells healthy. With neuropathy, the nerve cells aren’t getting enough oxygen and nutrients to sustain their health, let alone repair damaged tissues. We help those nerves heal by getting them the oxygen and nutrients they have been lacking,” explains Dr. Jessica.
While there are many causes of neuropathy, the most common are diabetes, chemical exposure or exposure to toxins (chemotherapy, agent orange, some medications), injury and infections. About one-third of peripheral neuropathy cases are idiopathic, meaning the condition arises without an identifiable cause. Symptoms can vary widely because there are so many different types of peripheral nerves. Depending on which nerves are damaged, and how much damage has occurred, the most common symptoms are numbness, tingling, burning, itching, sharp or stabbing pain, throbbing, coldness, heaviness, sensitivity to touch, balance problems and weakness.
Discover more about their services devoted solely to peripheral neuropathy patients, or request an initial appointment at piedmonttriadneuropathy.com or by calling the Winston-Salem location at 336.600.2477. Aligned Health & Wellness is located at 663 Gralin Street in Kernersville, 336.390.9400, at 765 Highland Oaks Drive, Suite 200, in Winston-Salem, and their newest addition is conveniently located at 2929 Crouse Lane, Suite C, in Burlington, NC, 336.565.1028.
