Celebrating 10 Years In Mesquite

By VERNON ROBISON

The Progress

The reception area at Desert Pain Specialists in Mesquite was full of people who came and went for a two hour open house event held Wednesday, July 14. The clinic was celebrating its 10th anniversary of treating the people of Mesquite.

Dr. Spencer Wells who opened the Mesquite office a decade ago as its attending physician explained that the open house was an opportunity to express appreciation to patients, physicians and staff who have supported the clinic from the beginning.

Wells said that the local practice has seen significant growth and change in the ten years since opening. It began opening its office only two days per week, he said.

“We started in only half of a duplex in the Oasis Professional Park off of Pinnacle Court,” Wells said. “It was maybe a couple years later that we expanded and took over the other half of that duplex. Then 2 or 3 years ago, we needed to expand again and wanted to be closer to the medical hub of Mesquite. So we moved over here across from the hospital.”

Nowadays instead of just two days a week, Desert Pain Specialists is open five days a week. This is done with the help of a whole team of excellent nurse practitioners and physicians assistants, Wells said.

Wells has loved working with the people of Mesquite. “From the very first day, the patients have been so grateful that we were here,” he said. “They were grateful that they didn’t have to go up through the gorge and that I would be willing to come down here. People have been so kind and gracious and appreciative.”

Wells is a native of St. George. He attended Dixie High School and Dixie College and received a bachelors degree from Southern Utah University in Cedar City. He earned his Doctor of Medicine from University of Louisville as a fellowship-trained interventional pain specialist. He also completed training as a board-certified anesthesiologist.

When he returned to St. George, Desert Pain Specialists had been in business for three years, started by Dr. Court Empey.

“Dr. Empey was kind enough to bring me on as a kind of junior partner on one condition,” Wells recalled. “He said that he needed help to expand the business. So he gave me the option and said you can expand into Cedar or you can expand into Mesquite.”

Wells said that he recalled his time in Cedar City attending SUU. “I didn’t like the cold weather and I don’t like driving in bad weather,” he said. “So it was an easy decision. I said I will open up a clinic in Mesquite, Nevada.”

Desert Pain Specialists treats severe pain in patients for a variety of conditions including headaches, shingles, arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, sciatica as well as major joint pain in knees, hips and shoulders. But where the clinic really specializes is in treating spinal pain including neck pain, lower back pain or mid back pain.

Wells said it is gratifying to be able to help people relieve and manage their debilitating pain.
“To have somebody come in and say, ‘Hey, do you remember I first came in here using a walker? And now I haven’t used a walker for weeks or months,’” Wells said. “I don’t think it gets any better than that when somebody is so grateful for regaining their quality of life. That is all it takes to keep going.”

Wells acknowledges that pain treatment isn’t always successful for everyonne. But when it doesn’t, that isn’t the end of his role at that point, he said.

“When a patient comes in and says that what I was doing wasn’t working for them, it is my job now to get them somebody who will be able to help them,” Wells said. “Sometimes that is a physical therapist.

Sometimes it is one of my nurse practitioners who might specialize in different areas. A lot of times it is a referral over to a good surgeon to help them. One way or another we find them help.”

“Rather than say that I, myself, can help 90 percent of the time, I want to be able to say that I can find my patients help the need 90 percent of the time by any means possible,” Wells said. “That is when I feel successful.”

Many patients who were in attendance at the open house event spoke highly of Dr. Wells and the Desert Pain Specialists staff.

Mesquite residents Rick and Marlene Jones have been receiving treatment at the Mesquite clinic from the time it opened.

“These are amazing people and that is what sets this business apart,” said Rick. “They just make you feel at home and they listen to you. Plus, what they do for you is just amazing!”

Desert Pain Specialists is located at 304 Falcon Ridge Pkwy, #603. For more information visit desertpainspecialists.com or call 702-346-5037.