For Sue Shives, one of Southern Utah’s many active retirees, pain was never going to stand in the way of doing what she loves – especially cycling through the beautiful scenery of Snow Canyon State Park.
Shortly before moving to the St. George area from Seattle, Shives began experiencing sciatic pain. She underwent a few treatment sessions and felt fine, hoping the problem was behind her.
But when the pain flared up again after relocating, she asked a friend for advice. That conversation led her to Desert Pain Specialists, Southern Utah’s longest-standing pain clinic, and Dr. Court Empey.
“I would wholeheartedly recommend Desert Pain Specialists to anyone who was having any sort of pain,” Shives said. “I would highly, highly recommend Dr. Empey and the whole staff there.”
Empey, the founder of Desert Pain, leads a dedicated staff that includes five board-certified physicians trained in all the latest procedures in spine and pain management. And being an avid cyclist himself, he understands patients’ desire to keep moving, particularly as they age.
Shives’ pain, which originated from partially herniated discs in her spinal column, proved to be manageable with epidural steroid injections. A common treatment for reducing inflammation and pain in various parts of the spine, this minimally invasive option has been trusted by physicians for well over 50 years. The success rate is high, with relief often lasting several months.
For Shives, the results were immediate.
“The pain was gone,” she said. “It always just helped my pain.”
When her sciatica was at its worst, Shives could barely walk a mile before having to sit down and rest.
“The pain would just shoot down my leg,” she said.
Today, she still regularly rides her road bike through Snow Canyon. The park’s steep climbs and rapid descents pose a challenge to cyclists decades younger, but she tackles it several times a week.
Shives has returned to Desert Pain numerous times over the past 13 years for support in maintaining her active lifestyle.
“She’s a very active, awesome patient that’s been very compliant,” Empey said. “It’s rewarding to see her out on the trails and the roads on her bike. Doing those things at age 77 is just inspirational.”
Shives is among the scores of patients enjoying long-term relief and renewed vitality with the help of Desert Pain. Since 2007, the clinic has served greater St. George and surrounding communities with the most advanced pain management techniques available, offering an unmatched standard of patient care.
“We are a comprehensive clinic that will work on all aspects of your pain,” Empey said.
Desert Pain provides relief from chronic and acute pain using a wide range of treatments, including radiofrequency ablation, spinal cord stimulation, nerve blocks, injections, surgery, physical therapy, medication and cutting-edge regenerative medicine solutions like platelet-rich plasma injections. Patients enjoy shorter wait times and more one-on-one attention from providers. And with 12 locations across southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and central Utah, they’re prepared to serve the needs of the region’s growing population.
Whether patients need to get back to work after an acute injury or strive to stay active in their retirement years, Desert Pain’s compassionate and experienced team is ready to help them live life to the fullest, and with as little pain as possible.
“We’re from here, we live here, and we see our patients in our lives,” Empey said. “It’s very rewarding for us to see patients being able to be active and hear their appreciation for what we do for them.”
Visit desertpainspecialists.com or call 435-216-7000 to schedule an appointment.
Resources
- Desert Pain Specialists | Telephone: 435-216-7000 | Email: contact@desertpainspecialists.com | Website.
- Locations:
- St. George: 617 E. Riverside Drive, Suite 301.
- Hurricane: 48 S. 2500 West, Suite 110.
- Cedar City: 1760 N. Main St., Suite 220.
- Beaver: 68 N. Main St.
- Panguitch: 200 N. 400 East.
- Kanab: 348 N. 300 West.
- Delta: 126 S. White Sage Ave.
- Fillmore: 700 S. Highway 99, Suite 3.
- Richfield: 1000 N. Main St., Suite C.
- Richfield: 245 N. Main St.
- Mesquite, Nevada: 340 Falcon Ridge Parkway, Suite 603.
- Overton, Nevada: 475 N. Moapa Valley Blvd.
