Virtual Reality as a Non-Pharmacological Adjunct to Reduce the Use of Analgesics in Hospitals

Virtual reality (VR) has become an increasingly viable non-pharmacological adjunct to reduce the use of analgesics in hospitals. Within the context of the ongoing opioid epidemic, VR can serve as an invaluable alternative to traditional pain management techniques. While VR research continues to advance, there is no clear consensus on the terms used to describe critical aspects of VR. This paper presents how immersion, presence, and agency encapsulate the VR experience and investigates the methods by which VR can relieve pain by changing users’ cognition and perception of pain. Multiple clinical studies investigating VR efficacy indicate that higher degrees of immersion, presence, and agency are all correlated with greater pain reduction. These studies also demonstrate that VR analgesia is effective for patients with various medical conditions and for those undergoing painful medical procedures. Furthermore, the shared biological mechanisms between pain and anxiety suggest that reducing either through the use of VR will reduce the other. As a nascent field of research, VR analgesia has key obstacles to overcome in order to become a mainstream intervention for pain management in hospital settings.