Veteran’s Affairs is Looking at Virtual Reality to Help with Pain Management

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https://www.fastcompany.com/90821711/department-of-veterans-affairs-turning-to-vr

Veteran’s Affairs is Looking at Virtual Reality to Help with Pain Management

The Veteran’s Affairs (VHA) is looking into using virtual reality (VR) technology to help patients manage their chronic pain. Currently, AppliedVRx is trialing a program to holistically treat the psychological aspects of chronic pain using a VR program.

Virtual reality is currently being used by the VHA to treat PTSD, and most recently they are trialing an application focused on pain management. Opioids are particularly dangerous and habit forming, and the VHA is considering other options as part of a holistic care regimen. Surgery for chronic pain can often be costly and mental and emotional issues can persist. Holistic treatment of injury must take mental and emotional impacts into account, and this is where VR can be used to reduce pain. Veterans are often plagued with chronic pain that needs to be addressed fully- enter VR treatment.

Pain treatment involves the healing of physical and emotional damage. Virtual reality applications are being prescribed to help reduce the emotional and mental impact of chronic pain. Amazingly, a new program by AppliedVR is proving to be effective using a headset to mitigate issues faced by those who suffer from chronic pain.

AppliedVR developed a treatment regimen that is 8-weeks long and is FDA approved called RelieVRx. For the past two years, AppliedVR has been working with VR treatments for PTSD and this new application looks promising. It has been amazing to see the roles that VR and augmented reality (AR) have begun to take on in society. Entertainment was the first use case for VR, and as time goes on new applications have been discovered from travel and tourism to medical treatments.

Virtual reality is a promising technology for treatment in allied health applications. Mental health has often been overlooked, and treatments have included SSRI drugs and talk therapy. Chronic pain is common among the some 9-million veterans seen by the VHA, and treatment can be costly.

The RelieVRx treatment programs is 8-weeks and requires the use of the program and headset. Currently, the program is showing significant benefits for patients, and the new and innovative methods used may be cross-pollinated to other disorders as well. The program is currently FDA approved, and is the second treatment offered by RelieVRx. I am fine with my tax dollars going to this program, and it is good to see VR being used to help wounded servicemen and women.

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