Charles J. De Mesa, DO

Dr. De Mesa is Chief of Interventional Pain, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation for Hoag Spine Center and Director of the Chronic Pain & Neuropathy Program in Hoag’s Pickup Family Neuroscience Institute. His primary focus is non-operative and minimally invasive treatments of the spine. Dr. De Mesa treats acute and chronic spine pain, without using opiates whenever possible as well as musculoskeletal and neuropathic pain conditions.

Dr. De Mesa received his osteopathic medicine degree from A.T. Still University – Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, and attended Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York for his internship. Dr. De Mesa went on to complete his physical medicine and rehabilitation residency and served as the academic chief resident at Baylor College of Medicine, University of Texas in Houston, Texas. He completed his pain medicine fellowship at the University of California, Davis.

Dr. De Mesa is double board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and pain medicine by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (APBMR). He is a current member of American Board of Anesthesiology’s content development team and the American Board of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation’s administration team for Board Certification Specialty Examinations. Both boards are represented by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
His diverse expertise allows for a holistic patient experience. Dr. De Mesa’s leadership roles permit him to facilitate exceptional coordination of pain care within the Hoag Spine Center, in addition to other institutes and programs at Hoag.

Dr. De Mesa continues to be involved in the development of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Pain Fellowship Curriculum. He is a member of the Spinal Intervention Society, North American Spine Society, and has authored numerous journal publications as well as comprehensive and interventional textbooks, such as Primary Care Pain Management and Neuromodulation. Dr. De Mesa has delivered presentations nationwide covering a variety of pain topics, and he continues progressive leadership responsibilities at a national level with emphasis on professionalism, holistic review, and highest achievement in all developmental steps of Physician Certification. He brings the same level of commitment to quality in education to patient care making careful assessments of his patients through history and physical examinations. Dr. De Mesa’s goal for his patients is to decrease pain and improve function through his “hightouch” physician approach paired with “high tech” innovative interventional strategies for treating the spine and other conditions.

Dr. De Mesa’s interests outside of medicine include spending time with family at the beach, cooking, running, swimming, writing, biblical studies and hiking with his dog, Ikaika.