CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Managing pain is a difficult undertaking – particularly so for people with limited access to the quality care they need. Desert Pain Specialists is on a mission to serve outlying communities across Southern Utah and Nevada as they help more and more patients navigate the complexities of treating chronic and acute pain.

Supported by a team of advanced practitioners, the physicians at Desert Pain are dedicated to helping people find relief using all available resources, including injections, nerve blocks, regenerative medicine, physical therapy, medications and surgery. Their state-of-the-art facility in St. George allows them to offer unmatched quality of care for their patients. And with additional locations in Hurricane, Cedar City, Kanab, Beaver and Panguitch, they’re prepared to meet the needs of Southern Utah’s growing population.

Desert Pain also operates a satellite clinic in Mesquite, Nevada, and will be opening a new location in Overton, Nevada, later this month. Mark Udy, a certified physician assistant who joined the practice eight years ago, said they’re committed to providing historically underserved areas like the Moapa Valley with cutting-edge pain management solutions.  

“We’re offering options to patients that previously were unavailable,” Udy said. “It’s exciting to bring these services to the entire community.” 

Udy travels to Mesquite once a week and treated patients at the Kanab location for a few years. He said that while working in a satellite clinic poses some limitations, the payoff is extremely satisfying. Most rural communities in Southern Utah and Nevada have never received pain management services before. 

Many of the patients Udy and his colleagues see in the satellite clinics are elderly or disabled and unable to drive. For others, their pain condition prevents them from traveling comfortably. 

“It’s really a burden for them to make it to the clinic on a regular basis, so we’ve found that if we come to them, that makes treatment so much easier,” he said. “If we can see them more frequently, then we can provide them with better care and a better quality of life.” 

At the satellite locations, patients may consult with a pain management specialist who will order and assess imaging, help manage their medications and develop a treatment plan. The providers can also perform joint injections, trigger point injections, Botox injections and certain nerve blocks. However, more complex procedures still require a visit to the St. George clinic. 

Desert Pain stands at the forefront of treating acute and chronic pain in Southern Utah. As the area’s premier interventional pain management team, their compassionate and highly trained physicians practice evidence-based, forward-thinking medicine that integrates the newest available treatments. They address all types of pain conditions, including back pain, neck pain, sciatica, neuropathy, migraines and sports injuries.

Recognizing an unfulfilled need in the community for the treatment of chronic pain, St. George native Dr. Court Empey founded Desert Pain in 2007. The practice has grown organically to include three additional pain management physicians – Dr. Spencer Wells, Dr. Ryan Workman and Dr. Steven Larsen – along with eight advanced practitioners. 

Udy said Desert Pain has staffed “very qualified partners and support staff who share our vision of being compassionate, caring and willing to listen to our patients.”

“Patients feel that we really care about helping them,” he said, “and that’s what sets us apart from other pain clinics.” 

Managing acute and chronic pain isn’t always easy, he said, adding that everyone who passes through the doors of any Desert Pain clinic is welcomed with empathy and understanding. Providers work diligently to put patients at ease by helping them navigate the consultation, diagnosis and treatment process and are willing to spend as much time with each person as necessary in order for them to feel comfortable.

At Desert Pain, patients aren’t simply treated. They’re seen, heard, understood and supported throughout their pain management journey. Call 435-216-7000 or visit the Desert Pain website to schedule an appointment with the specialist nearest you today.

Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.

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Resources

• Desert Pain Specialists | Telephone: 435-216-7000 | Email: [email protected] | Website.
• Locations:
  • St. George: 617 E. Riverside Drive, Suite 301.
  • Hurricane: 48 S. 2500 West, Suite 110.
  • Cedar City: 1760 N. Main St.
  • Beaver: 68 N. Main St.
  • Panguitch: 200 N. 400 East.
  • Kanab: 460 E. 300 South, Suite 4.
  • Mesquite, Nevada: 340 Falcon Ridge Parkway, Suite 600.

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