Repeated virtual reality sessions in fibromyalgia: a prospective observational study

Area of Science:

• Pain Management
• Digital Therapeutics
• Neurology

Background:

• Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex chronic pain condition with limited therapeutic options.
• Virtual reality (VR) presents a novel approach for adjunctive pain management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the HealthyMind VR program as an adjunct therapy for fibromyalgia.
• To assess the impact of VR on pain intensity and psychological outcomes in FM patients.

Main Methods:

• Fifty participants with FM underwent eight supervised 20-minute VR sessions over four weeks.
• The HealthyMind program included nature relaxation, guided imagery, and meditation via a Pico G2 4K Enterprise headset.
• Primary outcome: Pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRS); Secondary outcomes: Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

Main Results:

• A significant reduction in pain was observed, decreasing from 6.8 ± 1.5 to 5.8 ± 1.9 (p < 0.001, effect size = 0.56).
• Significant improvements were noted in pain catastrophizing, self-efficacy, anxiety, and depression scores.
• The study achieved its primary and secondary outcome measures.

Conclusions:

• The HealthyMind VR program demonstrated effectiveness in reducing pain.
• VR therapy using HealthyMind improved psychological outcomes in individuals with fibromyalgia.
• This study supports VR as a viable adjunct therapy for fibromyalgia management.