HOW VR HELPS
Pain requires conscious attention. The essence of Virtual Reality is the illusion users have of going inside the computer-generated environment. Being drawn into another world drains a lot of attentional resources, leaving less attention available to process pain signals. Conscious attention is like a spotlight. Usually it is focused on the pain. We are luring that spotlight into the virtual world. Rather than having pain as the focus of their attention, for many patients in Virtual Reality, the pain becomes more of an annoyance, distracting them from their primary goal of exploring the virtual world.
Virtual Reality not only helps to distract from physical pain but it also helps people with dementia and people with depression, anxiety, and many other phycological and emotional pain.
For people with dementia, VR provides a safe environment where the person can safely engage with his surroundings and connect with the world again. Through the immersion of Virtual Reality, people with dementia can experience a sense of calm and relaxation where different forms of cognitive functions such as memory, language, and executive functions necessary to plan, organize, and prioritize are encouraged to use to achieve the goals of the VR experience the person is viewing.
VR IN MEDICAL FACILITIES
VR FOR PATIENTS
Patients who are diagnosed with long-term or terminal illnesses face prolonged hospital stays and anxiety-producing, painful medical procedures. Along with treating physical symptoms, healthcare professionals must address the anxiety, depression, pain, and even boredom that hospitalized patients experience.
In recent years, a number of clinical studies have addressed the potential benefits of using Virtual Reality (VR) technology to alleviate some of the more negative psychological effects of medical treatment faced by hospitalized patients. These studies have shown that VR pain distraction is a viable relief strategy and, in many cases, is more effective than opioids.
THESE COMMENTS ARE FROM PATIENT’S PARENTS OF A CONTROLLED TRIAL THAT SHOWS THE EFFECTS OF VR ON PATIENTS
“… she was not as anxious. Was afraid before hand, but she was all right after the game was switched on. It took her mind, off the pain.”
“… compared to the medication which left him groggy, disoriented, lost track of time and anxious, I think this (VR) allows the continuity of time and reduces anxiety.”
“… “Yes (pain was significantly less) … probably judging it from yesterday – medication made him worse – uncooperative and pig-headed, compared to when he was playing the game.”
Read more about the controlled trial here.
