‘Caring, compassionate, knowledgeable’: Desert Pain helps lifelong St. George resident navigate chronic pain

CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Living with chronic pain is a daily battle against an unseen enemy. At Desert Pain Specialists, patients are heard, understood and supported throughout their pain management journey by a team of highly trained and compassionate physicians.

A treatment room with a view at Desert Pain Specialists, St. George, Utah, date not specified | Photo by Jeff Hauck courtesy of Desert Pain Specialists, St. George News

Dr. Court Empey, the founder of Desert Pain, understands the devastating effects that pain conditions can have on a patient’s physical and emotional well-being.

“When the pain has affected their normal lifestyle, our job is to determine what the source of that pain is and give patients all the available options to treat their symptoms,” he said. “The most gratifying part of being a pain physician is seeing patients get back to doing the things they enjoy.”

Pain often is regarded as an inevitable part of the aging process. Therefore, Empey said it may be surprising to learn that many Desert Pain patients aren’t retirees, but people in their 30s and 40s trying to raise families and work full-time jobs while dealing with chronic pain. Relatively young and otherwise healthy, these patients need the support of an interventional pain management team to control their symptoms and continue functioning at a high level.

One such patient is Mandi Mathis, a lifelong resident of St. George. Mathis was returning home from Las Vegas when a drunk driver crossed into the northbound lanes of Interstate 15 and smashed into her car. Although her injuries weren’t life-threatening, the residual pain negatively impacted almost every aspect of her day-to-day routine. Sleep in particular became a challenge.

Mathis has worked with Empey and Dr. Spencer Wells to manage her pain. In the 10 years since the crash, treatments at Desert Pain have allowed her to sleep better and participate in most of the activities she desires to do. She said that the level of patient care is exceptional, from the front desk staff to the medical assistants and doctors.

“They’re always caring, compassionate, knowledgeable,” she added. “They give a lot of options for how to treat your pain, making sure you’re both on the same page about what you want to do.”

A welcome waiting room greets guests at Desert Pain Specialists, St. George, Utah, date not specified | Photo by Jeff Hauck courtesy of Desert Pain Specialists, St. George News

Mathis has referred both of her parents to Desert Pain for help with various physical ailments as they’ve aged. Having grown up in St. George, she knows Empey, Wells and their extended families and remembers them as always being genuine, patient and kind – whether in scrubs or jeans.

“They’ve been good guys for a long time, so to trust them was easy,” she said. “If you can practice medicine in the community you grew up in, you’re doing something right.”

The specialists at Desert Pain are dedicated to helping patients find relief from a wide range of chronic and acute pain conditions using all available resources, including injections, nerve blocks, regenerative medicine, physical therapy, medications and surgery. Although it isn’t possible for every patient to be completely pain-free, many experience significant improvement.

Desert Pain operates a state-of-the-art facility at the Riverfront Medical Center in St. George that allows them to offer unmatched quality of care to their patients. And with satellite locations in Hurricane, Hildale (opening in September), Cedar City, Kanab, Beaver, Panguitch, Delta and Fillmore as well as Mesquite and Overton, Nevada, they’re prepared to serve the needs of the area’s growing population. 

Call 435-216-7000 or visit the Desert Pain website to schedule an appointment today.

Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.

• S P O N S O R E D   C O N T E N T • 

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: 348 N. 300 West.
    • Delta: 126 White Sage Ave.
    • Fillmore: 65 N. Main St.
    • Mesquite, Nevada: 340 Falcon Ridge Parkway, Suite 600.
    • Overton, Nevada: 475 N. Moapa Valley Blvd.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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