Pain Management

The majority of our patients were suffering from a dependency on prescription pain killers as a result of a past physical injury, surgery, or cancer. They are not the stereotypical "drug addicts" looking to get high but rather, everyday, professional people who gradually needed more and more pain medication to alleviate their pain. In fact, most dependencies arise from the treatment of back injuries, whether caused by a car accident, slip and fall, or sports injury. As time goes by, patients realize that the dependency on pain medication is a much larger problem that the original injury, that the pain has intensified, and that their dependency is controlling their lives.

What began as a seemingly innocent prescription painkiller from a physician to help patients manage their discomfort, has become a dependency. Weeks, months, or years later - long after the initial injury may have healed - patients are still taking Vicodin or OxyContin and in alarmingly higher doses than originally prescribed. Unfortunately, traditional drug treatment programs do not address the issue of over-prescribing pain killers and instead blame patients for their own situation and label them "drug addicts". We recognize that dependencies arise through no fault or weakness of the patient.

Years of dependency can not only intensify pain levels experienced by patients, but may make it difficult to distinguish which pain is from the original injury and which is from the pain killers. Most patients have the same level or slightly less pain after detoxification. Patients stay with us two days after the inpatient detoxification procedure, so our team of pain management specialist can evaluate their level of pain, and suggest alternative treatments or non-narcotic follow up medications to treat the original injury.

Following detoxification, our patients have the opportunity to stay at Domus Retreat, a state-of-the-art, luxury retreat located in Orange County, California. Domus Retreat gives patients an opportunity to regain their mental and physical strength before returning to their daily lives. We strive to make our patients feel like guests, and as comfortable as if they were recovering at home, but with full-service and individual attention. Care is based on self-growth, respect, self-esteem, and responsibility.

Domus Retreat offers pain evaluation by our Medical Director, a pain specialist who works with patients to alleviate pain and discomfort with non-narcotic medications. Patients learn to control their own pain using biofeedback and work with a personal trainer to regain their muscular strength and facilitate the return of endorphins (natural pain killers). Psychotherapy and massage therapy are also available.

Our highly trained multidisciplinary team focuses on ensuring that care and treatment are provided in an atmosphere where safety and confidentiality are paramount. With a vision for providing an ideal setting to address both chemical dependency and the wide range of associated behaviors, conditions and disorders, Domus Retreat practices an innovative method of treatment for pain medication use and co-occurring disorders. Our pain patients are able to return to a productive life -- one that is either pain-free, or one that can be successfully managed without the use of pain killers.

For more information, please call (310) 205-0808 or (888) 987-HOPE during business hours or send us a confidential email. For after hours and weekends, please call (310) 927-7155.