Immersive virtual reality for chronic neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury: a pilot, randomized, controlled trial

This study explores using virtual reality (VR) to help with nerve pain (neuropathic pain) in people with spinal cord injuries (SCI). The study looks at different VR environments to see if they can reduce pain. Participants were put into three groups: one used scenic VR, another somatic VR, and a control group. They participated in weekly VR sessions over a month and were assessed to measure any changes in their pain levels. The findings suggest that VR environments, especially scenic ones, can help reduce neuropathic pain in people with SCI. The level of enjoyment and the feeling of being present in the VR environment also play a role in how much pain is reduced.

• 1
  Scenic VR participants showed reduced Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory scores postintervention and at follow-up, suggesting pain reduction.
• 2
  Higher enjoyment and presence scores in VR were associated with decreased pain-change scores, indicating that a person's experience in VR can affect pain relief.
• 3
  The somatic group reported greater improvements in quality of life according to the Patient’s Global Impression of Change (PGIC) visual analog scale (VAS) when compared with scenic and control groups postintervention.