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Dynamic Quantitative Sensory Testing to Characterize Central Pain Processing
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Quantifying virtual reality pain modulation in healthy volunteers: A randomized, crossover study.

Nicole R Neiman1, Samuel R Falkson2, Samuel T Rodriguez3

  • 1Stanford Chariot Program, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford, Palo Alto, CA, USA; DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, Lincoln Memorial University, Knoxville, TN, USA.

Journal of Clinical Anesthesia
|May 7, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Virtual reality (VR) significantly reduces pain perception and increases pain tolerance during cold immersion. This study demonstrates VR

Keywords:
Acute painAnesthesiaPainPain toleranceProcedureVirtual reality

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Area of Science:

  • Pain Management
  • Virtual Reality Applications
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly recognized for its potential to alleviate pain and anxiety during medical procedures.
  • However, objective biometric data quantifying VR's impact on pain tolerance remains limited.
  • This study aimed to bridge this gap by evaluating VR's effect on pain modulation using comprehensive data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the effect of virtual reality (VR) on pain tolerance and perception.
  • To investigate VR's efficacy as a distraction tool during a pain-inducing procedure.
  • To compare subjective pain scores and objective biometric responses with and without VR.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, controlled crossover within-subject clinical trial involving 153 healthy volunteers.
  • Participants underwent ice water immersions with and without VR, with hand dominance and treatment order as crossover variables.
  • Pain tolerance was measured by immersion duration, subjective pain scores, and skin conductance response density (SCRD).

Main Results:

  • Participants using VR were 64% less likely to withdraw their hands from the ice bath (P < 0.001).
  • VR use was associated with significantly lower self-reported pain scores (P < 0.001).
  • No significant differences in sympathetic arousal, measured by SCRD, were observed between VR and control conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Virtual reality (VR) effectively enhances pain tolerance and reduces perceived pain during challenging procedures.
  • VR serves as a potent distraction, improving patient experience in pain-inducing scenarios.
  • While VR impacts pain perception, it did not significantly alter physiological markers of sympathetic arousal in this study.