Dr. Steven Larsen Desert Pain Specialists’ Newest Physician As integral parts of a comprehensive pain management practice, the physicians at Desert Pain Specialists treat patients from head to toe and every joint in between. This statement holds true for Dr. Steven Larsen, a military veteran and Desert Pain’s newest physician. “I tell patients that if they have any problems from their toes to their nose, I can help them,” he said. “I will go to battle for my patients’ needs.” Larsen brings several years of experience in treating chronic and acute pain to Desert Pain, and he is looking forward to serving the southern Utah community. His broad spectrum of interests include arthritis pain, sports medicine, headaches, minimally invasive spine procedures, and injections for neck and back pain.
Larsen lives in St. George, Utah, with his wife of sixteen years and their three children. The family moved to southern Utah in January after he was offered a position at Desert Pain, which he believes is one of the best interventional pain management clinics anywhere. Outside of work, he volunteers as a Little League coach. “I’m extremely excited to be engaged in the community,” he said. “We’re excited to live here in this beautiful place, and we have no intention of leaving.” Growing up in the heart of the Salt Lake Valley in Taylorsville, Utah, Larsen took an early interest in health care, but after completing two years of missionary work for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in South Korea, he decided to join the Army. Larsen served combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan along with assignments to Kuwait and South Korea
during six years of active duty. This was followed by four years in the Utah Army National Guard. While working as an interrogator in an impoverished Afghani village, Larsen was struck by the medical needs of the community and began to realize his true calling was in healing. “I felt a longing to treat them, and it rekindled an earlier aspiration I had of pursuing medicine,” he explained. “I realized I needed to pursue my dream of working with people on their health.”
Larsen enrolled in college classes while finishing his military service, studying at night and online. He ultimately obtained his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and his medical degree from Oregon Health & Science University, where he was the recipient of the Award of Excellence scholarship. While in medical school, Larsen was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society as well as the Gold Humanism Honor Society, a peernominated recognition for students who excel in compassionate patient care.
Larsen completed his residency in anesthesiology and fellowship in pain management at the University of Utah. Over the course of his medical training, Larsen was involved in many research projects with subjects ranging from the molecular makeup of potential cancer biomarkers to diabetes treatment to spine surgery outcomes.
Larsen interviewed with numerous pain management clinics across the country in search of trustworthy physicians who shared his core principles of putting patients first. As a practice that focuses on providing quality care ahead of business demands and strategic expansion, Desert Pain was the perfect fit. “Simply put, here at Desert Pain, we do the right thing for the patient,” he said.
As a pain management physician, Larsen works diligently to identify the sources of chronic pain and provide appropriate treatment. He strives to empower his patients to take better care of their bodies and recognize the role they play in their own healing, from the way they eat, sleep, and move each day to the bigger picture of how they view themselves and their pain condition. “My treatment goals revolve around the belief that patients have the power within themselves to make positive transformations in their lives,” he said. Larsen said he aspires to be an ally in healing whom patients can trust with their concerns and needs. He will give them as much time as he would give to a member of his own family if they needed care.
“I hope I help patients smile more often and help them realize that they’re capable of better health,” he said. “I’m very excited to serve this community with all my heart.”
For more information about Desert Pain Specialists or to make an appointment, call (435) 216-7000 or visit www.desertpainspecialists.com. St. George Health & Wellness Magazine | May/June 2021 55
