Pain Mitigation Through Virtual Reality Applications

Abstract

In the world of medicine, pain can affect various aspects of the human body. There are many different forms in which pain can be interpreted throughout the body, resulting in either physical or mental trauma. This research project is studying the mitigation of minor acute pain like but not limited to cuts, scrapes, bruises, and soreness through the use of virtual reality (VR) technology and different types of VR games. This research study focuses on a video game genre that is based on puzzle games involving math. Other game genres, including action and relaxing games, will also be looked at. Furthermore, the experimental data will only test puzzle VR games for their pain mitigation effects. VR can be a useful tool to use in the fight against pain strictly because of a known theory called the Gate Theory of Attention. This theory states that by diverting the attention away from the source of the pain, the mind can effectively reduce the perception of that pain [1]. A VR headset called the Oculus Rift is being used to set up pain-related experiments, determining if a puzzle VR game called Math N’ Grab is effective at mitigating pain. With the use of this immersive VR game, currently being developed by the researchers, the user can potentially divert their attention away from their pain with such a degree that it can effectively be mitigated in most circumstances. The results of this experiment could offer up new ways to better manage pain.