At some point in any active person’s life it happens: our bodies for which we rely upon to work perfectly have a sudden ailment or injury, and we need to seek help. Many of us end up at our general practitioner’s office, physical therapy, or perhaps chiropractic services or acupuncture. We visit to treat our problem, and then are off again until the next issue strikes, as is the cycle for many of us, myself formerly included.
But what if we treated our bodies differently, instead proactively working to create strength and balance and prevent these injuries from starting? And what if all the services we generally seek for these proactive and reactive treatments were all housed under one roof? Aligned Modern Health has created this one-stop shop for overall body wellness, and it’s likely you’ll find one of their clinics right in or near your own neighborhood.
I interviewed the director of community partnerships at Aligned, Ryan Caturan, to learn more about the purpose and origins of this unique model. Aligned modern health was started by two athletic colleagues whom had taken casual conversations about the different wellness services they both attended throughout the city as inspiration; they wanted to create a company where all these services were located in one space, creating an integrated practice with a patient-driven approach. And so, Aligned Modern Health was born.
“Integrative Medicine at Aligned Modern Health is a patient-centered approach that delivers multiple specialties and treatment options under one roof to help empower the patient – as a whole person – to heal faster, more effectively, and with fewer side effects. Teamwork is at the heart of our integrative medicine, as our experts in evidence-based, non-invasive care come together to address your needs in true alignment. Our top-rated doctors and wellness experts will get to the root cause of your health concerns to unlock your body’s amazing potential to heal and thrive….utilizing Chiropractic, Functional Medicine, Clinical Nutrition, Acupuncture, and Massage Therapy, we offer the highest standard of evidenced-based care to address your health goals in true alignment – without the use of drugs or surgery.”
-Aligned Modern Heath Webpage
Aligned’s services include chiropractic, rehabilitation services(physical therapy), functional medicine, clinical nutrition(offered by registered dieticians), acupuncture, and massage therapy, and are covered through most major medical carriers: BCBS, Aetna, United, Tri-West, Cigna, and Medicare. Aligned will perform a complimentary benefits check for your insurance and ensure that you know exactly what the coverage will be for your appointments. All services at Aligned come with a free consultation, so that you are able to meet with your selected professional and truly understand the process, costs, benefits to your potential service, and ways in which combinations of Aligned’s services could compliment your individual treatment. Each professional will review the results of the very detailed and carefully worded patient intake questionnaires and hear concerns in a welcoming and honest conversation that is a true testament to the patient centered approach this clinic does so well.
Aligned currently operates at 15 locations in the city and suburbs, as far north as Vernon Hills, as far west as Elmhurst Park, and as far south as South Loop. There are two new locations opening soon in Logan Square, and Orland Park. I attended Aligned Modern Health’s Andersonville location, located on the bustling Clark street stretch that runs through the heart of the neighborhood, making this location quite accessible by train (the redline is a few blocks East) bus (via the 22 route) and by bike or on foot, which was my mode of travel. Parking is paid meter on Clark, and fairly ample in the surrounding neighborhood.
Natural light poured into the entrance from large floor to ceiling windows along the clinic’s exterior, and soft music played as I approached the incredibly welcoming clinic manager at the front desk. Per Covid regulations I answered a list of questions and was screened. My services were in person today for acupuncture, though I’ve taken advantage of their telemedicine approach for my recent functional medicine appointments. I’ve received services at Aligned, both through acupuncture and functional medicine for 2 years, first seeking assistance for a nagging shoulder impingement that plagued the first few months of my Ironman Wisconsin training program. Post-race I recovered through both acupuncture and functional medicine services. I had used functional medicine diagnostic testing to address specific stomach issues, and to find exactly what my body needed through food and, if needed, focused supplementation. As was my experience with acupuncture, the end results of this treatment moved beyond the initial intent, I finally found a solution to digestive imbalances that have plagued me my entire life. I now use both services regular as a support for fertility treatments and general needs as an athlete, which was the purpose of this particular acupuncture visit.
Aligned’s “open floor plan” is evident immediately upon entering: chiropractic and rehabilitation specialist services are housed in the front area of the clinic, in a cozy and semi-private fashion with elegant wood-panel partitions nestling chiropractic tables which surround the open format of the rehabilitation services on the main floor.
Friendly professionals greet every patient with a smile as you move about the clinic, passing by private treatment rooms, one with a doctor’s table and welcoming office format that houses Functional Medicine services, the other rooms with tables for massage and acupuncture services. Soft track style lighting guides the way along the wooden floor passageways to the individual acupuncture treatment room, where my acupuncturist and I settled in cozy office chairs facing once another to review my current state of being, check my pulse, observe my tongue (it’s pretty amazing what our tongue can tell a professional!), and ask focused questions to determine my specific needs. Once my acupuncturist was certain of her needle points for the treatment session, I relaxed on a warm treatment table with a soft pillow under my head and backs of my knees. I was put at such ease that I barely noticed the slight tap of needle entry as my acupuncturist and I chatted about current life events. I closed my eyes as she dimmed the lights and set the sound machine to an ocean scene, transporting me away from the cares of my day while the needles worked their magic to balance my body; the experience itself bringing true calm to my mind and spirit. As it often happens I nearly drifted to sleep by the time my acupuncturist arrived and slowly brightened the room, and reminded me to “hydrate well, my body had just had a big workout,” though my current state of being felt less exhausted, more refreshed. I soon found myself again chatting with the helpful clinic manager to schedule my next session.
Aligned’s mantra is “Live life to the fullest,” and their services certainly lend themselves easily to this goal. Through the services I’ve received at Aligned I’ve found a balanced state of being; I am continually becoming more “Aligned.”
