Researchers in the United States are testing out virtual-reality games as an alternative to painkillers. Patients are given a game to play on Samsung's Gear VR headset, the idea being that concentrating on playing an immersive VR game will divert attention away from the pain experienced at the time.
AppliedVR, the company behind these trials, have developed several games including one called BearBlast where the user navigates a virtual world full of bears, throwing balls at them to earn points. Patients suffering from pain arising from various medical conditions were asked to rate their pain levels before and after playing the game for 20 minutes; the results were an average lowering of pain by 24 per cent, akin to the effect of medication.
Prior to this, a VR game called SnowWorld had been successfully trialled with both children and soldiers to assess pain reduction while dressing burn wounds. The equipment, however, was prohibitively expensive but the availability of consumer headsets like the Samsung Gear, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift are widening the possibilities for this kind of research.
