Pain is different for everyone. It comes in many forms and for a multitude of reasons. Whether it be physical or emotional, one common thread that ties us all together is that we’ve experienced pain at one time or another.

For most of us, pain subsides. We get better, we heal, we overcome. However, many people suffer from chronic pain, which unfortunately becomes part of everyday life—often with no clear solution or cure. Doctors are quick to prescribe prescription drugs to ease the aches, but fail to find and treat the root cause of the pain.

As Melissa Cady, author of Paindemic: A Practical and Holistic Look at Chronic Pain, the Medical System, and the antiPAIN Lifestyle, says, “Personalized medicine is an art that advocates for the patient, not the pocket or convenience of the medical system.”

This rings true regarding both physical and mental pain. Carol Henricks, owner of NorthStar Hyperbaric, uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy to help veterans in varying types of pain. On page 11, learn about her newly opened Patriot Clinic—free to those veterans who are looking for relief from PTSD or physical pain.

While there may not be a magical cure-all, there are more options than people know about, and experts in the Tucson area are eager to help us all feel better and get our lives back from chronic pain. On page 20, we’ll explore chronic pain overall, then on page 24, hear from some local practitioners who want to help you get back to being your best.

Maybe that mystery cure you’ve been hoping for is held in this very magazine. You’re only pages away from relief!

To better health every day,

Holly