Recent Applications of Virtual Reality for the Management of Pain in Burn and Pediatric Patients

AbstractPurpose of ReviewVirtual reality, via integration of immersive visual and auditory modalities, offers an innovative approach to pain management. The purpose of this review is to investigate the clinical application of virutal reality  as an adjunct analgesic to standard of care, particularly in pediatric and burn patients.Recent FindingsAlthough relatively new, virtual reality has been successfully implemented in a wide range of clinical scenarios for educational, diagnostic, and therapeutic purposes. Most recent literature supports the use of this adjunct analgesic in reducing pain intensity for pediatric and burn patients undergoing acute, painful procedures.SummaryThis summative review demonstrates the efficacy of virtual reality in altering pain perception by decreasing pain and increasing functionality among pediatric and burn patients. However, large, multi-center randomized controlled trials are still warranted to generalize these findings to more diverse patient demographics and medical scenarios.
Source: Current Pain and Headache Reports - Category: Neurology Source Type: research