Virtual Reality as an Adjunct Home Therapy in Chronic Pain Management: An Exploratory Study

Bernie Garrett, Tarnia Taverner, Paul McDade, Bernie Garrett, Tarnia Taverner, Paul McDade

Abstract

Background: Virtual reality (VR) therapy has been successfully used as an adjunct therapy for the management of acute pain in adults and children, and evidence of potential efficacy in other health applications is growing. However, minimal research exists on the value of VR as an intervention for chronic pain.

Objective: This case series examined the value of VR to be used as an adjunctive therapy for chronic pain patients in their own homes.

Methods: An exploratory approach using a case series and personal interviews was used. Ten chronic pain patients received VR therapy for 30 min on alternate days for 1 month. Pre- and postexposure (immediately afterwards, 3 h, and at 24 h) pain assessment was recorded using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and weekly using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and Self-completed Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs pain scale (S-LANSS). Terminal semistructured personal interviews with the patients were also undertaken.

Results: Of the 8 patients who completed the study, 5 of them reported that pain was reduced during the VR experience but no overall treatment difference in pain scores postexposure was observed. VR was not associated with any serious adverse events, although 60% of patients reported some cybersickness during some of the experiences.

Conclusions: Of note is that the majority of these study participants reported a reduction in pain while using the VR but with highly individualized responses. One patient also reported some short-term improved mobility following VR use. Some evidence was found for the short-term efficacy of VR in chronic pain but no evidence for persistent benefits.

Keywords: chronic illness; medical informatics; pain management; therapeutics.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

©Bernie Garrett, Tarnia Taverner, Paul McDade. Originally published in JMIR Medical Informatics (http://medinform.jmir.org), 11.05.2017.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
VR (virtual reality) intervention protocol and sequence.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Pre-postexposure NRS score differentials by intervention. NRS: Numerical Rating Scale.

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