photos by: JEJ PHOTOS
When chronic joint pain puts a damper on your beloved daily activities – and casts a shadow on quality time with family and friends – the quest for even temporary relief can be a challenge.
Once you’ve reached the point where medicines are only masking the pain, and you’re anxious to avoid the surgery route, look to a natural alternative that reaches the underlying cause of your condition – NeoGenix Stem Cell & Regenerative Therapies. Ultimately, patients decide if regenerative therapy is a good fit for them – but the benefits are impressive and include no surgery, no medications and no downtime.
With locations in both Cornelius and Charlotte, Co-Founder and Director of Operations Niko Miles and Co-Founder and Owner Dr. James Altizer, welcome patients to become better acquainted with Dr. Richard Kuzma, DO, Medical Director at NeoGenix Lake Norman. Dr. Kuzma brings a fresh outlook to getting back to the activities you love most!
With a bachelors degree in bio-chemistry, a masters in biomedical engineering and a medical degree from Michigan State University, Dr. Kuzma has always been fascinated by the depth of healing our bodies can accomplish on their own – and how much they can achieve with the assistance of medical interventions.
“Well before medical school, I was part of a biomedical engineering program that focused on figuring out what factors affect growth and development of specific cells,” he shares. “Specifically, there were studies about the way bone cells grew and developed and with what surfaces they preferred to attach. I learned there are so many specifics to each situation and that each one of our tissues/cells is happy to grow and develop if given the right stimulation. I came in contact with both Niko and Dr. Altizer through a mutual acquaintance and discovered our common interest. It was fantastic to find out they were not only doing patient care that addressed the whole patient, they were also well ahead of the understanding of stem cell patient treatment that I had at that time. After meeting the entire team, I had no doubts of the success of the future clinic and the grade A-level patient care.”
It’s not surprising that, even as a child, Dr. Kuzma loved science and the idea of “fixing things” to make them better! He is adamant that every patient is assessed at NeoGenix as an individual and given an honest assessment of their options, not only stem cell treatment. Sadly, that can include advising patients when they’re not candidates for stem cell treatment, due to the severity of their degeneration, and they are referred for surgery.
“We always have an open conversation about all the factors that can affect care which can include their other health issues, level of daily activity and what their ongoing joint pain is preventing them from doing. I would describe it as low pressure, friendly and honest communication – while we advise them on ongoing healthcare options.”
He adds that introducing patients to the idea of regenerative medicine typically involves a conversation that begins with the statement “our bodies have a great capacity to heal.”
“As we age, that capacity decreases little by little until those daily insults to knees, hips or backs start to add up,” he says. “We help restart that day-to-day healing by using your own cells.”
In 2016, Dr. Kuzma moved his family to the Charlotte area, working as a board certified family physician at Atrium Health. He quickly established himself as a trusted provider for many families in the Lake Norman area – and immediately grew to love the community. He is now comfortably settled into the Lake Norman area with his wife and their blended family of six children.
“It’s a 30-minute drive from the city, all the local parks, a short drive to the mountains and schools that are some of the best in NC,” he says.
It has been the perfect scenario for what Dr. Kuzma knew was his calling – having his own stem cell clinic. After months of stem cell and PRP training with Dr. Altizer (to complement his already expert injection experience), Dr. Kuzma was named Medical Director when NeoGenix Lake Norman opened in April of 2023.
NeoGenix treatments are endorsed by both amateur and professional athletes, and they work with the top physical therapists in the Charlotte area to provide ongoing healing. Rehab is an important part of the regenerative process, and physical therapy is essential to help with muscle weakness, incorrect muscle firing patterns and compensation issues. Regenerative therapies are generally successful for pain in joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments – with knees, backs and shoulders the most common ailments seen at NeoGenix. At your free consultation, you’ll receive a physical examination of your problem area, a review of your medical history and a review of your current diagnostic imaging, such as an x-ray or MRI. If you don’t have current imaging, the doctors can order imaging or perform an ultrasound as part of the free consultation.
Enjoying a pain-free life may only be a phone call away! NeoGenix Stem Cell & Regenerative Therapies is located at 16147 Lancaster Highway, Suite 140, in Charlotte, and at 19475 Old Jetton Road, Suite 102, in Cornelius, 704.727.6551. Email [email protected] for more information, follow them on Facebook and Instagram @neogenixstemcells, and learn more about their treatment and therapy options at neogenixstemcells.com.
