Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality on Pain and Anxiety at a Veterans Affairs Health Care Facility

Abstract

Objectives: The primary objective of this evaluation is to determine the impact of virtual reality (VR) distraction on acute and chronic pain in Veterans within the Veterans Affairs Health Care System (VA). A secondary objective is to determine the impact of VR on the experience of stress and anxiety in Veterans utilizing VR for the indication of pain. A third objective is to develop an understanding of the Veteran experience of using VR in a healthcare setting.Methods: This prospective, pretest-posttest mixed methods assessment was performed at a VA medical center from August 30, 2019 to November 23, 2020. VR experiences lasted between 10 and 30 min utilizing an immersive head-mounted display with multiple, autonomously chosen virtual environments. Qualitative data was collected concurrently to provide context to quantitative measures which included pain scores and stress/anxiety levels. Data from 79 participants was included in this analysis. Data included pre- and post-VR session Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale and stress/anxiety levels.Results: Results for the cohort demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in pain intensity (p <0 .001) with an average 12% decrease in pain levels and an 92% reduction in anxiety for those in concurrent pain.Conclusion: VR as a non-pharmacological adjunct or alternative modality, appears to be a viable option for improving pain management and reducing anxiety in Veteran populations across various age ranges, and levels of acuity and chronicity. VR was found to be an effective distraction from pain, a pleasurable experience for the majority, and opened the door to other non-pharmacological modalities in a Veteran population.

A novel balance training approach: Biomechanical study of virtual reality-based skateboarding

“…Thus, studies have found that VR-based training can be effective in improving motor function, balance, and mobility in individuals who have had a stroke, as well as cognitive function in those with brain injury and other neurological conditions (Kumar et al, 2018;Chen et al, 2021). VR-based training has also been shown to have positive effects on psychological well-being, such as reducing anxiety and depression in individuals with chronic pain (Rawlins et al, 2021). Therefore, VR-based training has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of various interventions in healthcare.…”

Immersive Virtual Reality: A Safe, Scalable, Non-opioid Analgesic for Military and Veteran Patients

“…VR distraction can also temporarily reduce chronic pain (Wiederhold et al, 2014;Rawlins et al, 2021) and we predict may temporarily reduce chronic pain during PT/OT sessions. And that may help increase patient's compliance with the therapists.…”

“…Virtual Reality is so intuitive that even patients who are new to technology are often surprisingly receptive to using virtual reality. And recent research shows that a positive experience in VR made veterans more open to trying other non-pharmalogic treatments that they had previously not been willing to try (Rawlins et al, 2021).…”

“…The familiarity of Veterans with VR makes it a readily adoptable modality in the treatment of the complex physical and psychiatric disorders typical of this population (Kramer et al, 2010). For example, there is recent evidence that Veterans who briefly try VR distraction are impressed by the temporary reduction in pain they experience while in VR (i.e, VR distraction), and become more receptive/open minded to trying other non-pharmacologic analgesia treatments that might give them short term breaks from their pain while in VR (Rawlins et al, 2021) as well as long term solutions to their chronic pain discussed above (VR Mindfulness skills training, VR CBT, and VR Neuroscience pain education).…”

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“… 2 , 3 Over the last 2 decades, VR has been explored as a resource to enhance patient care in the medical setting as a distraction therapy for pain and anxiety. 4 Humans have finite attentional resources; therefore, it is believed that distracting them with a task leaves less cognitive capacity for processing negative emotions and stimuli. Virtual reality has been effective as a distraction technique in a variety of wide-awake procedures, including chemotherapy administration, needle sticks, burn care, cutaneous procedures, and dentistry.…”