Ted Jones, PhD, of the Behavioral Medicine Institute at Pain Consultants of East Tennessee, contributed to a 2016 Medscape Medical News article exploring virtual reality and chronic pain.
The article, “Virtual Reality Ventures Into Real World of Chronic Pain,” discussed early research presented at the American Pain Society’s 35th Annual Scientific Meeting.
Exploring Virtual Reality and Chronic Pain
The coverage described research by Dr. Jones and colleagues using Cool!, a virtual reality application developed by DeepStreamVR. One study involved 30 adults with chronic pain who participated in a five-minute virtual reality experience.
Researchers compared participants’ reported pain before, during, and immediately after the session. The findings suggested short-term changes in pain perception and highlighted questions for further investigation.
These early findings did not establish lasting pain relief or show that virtual reality would be appropriate for everyone.
PCET’s Contribution to the Discussion
In the article, Dr. Jones discussed the need to explore additional nonopioid approaches to chronic pain management. The coverage highlighted PCET’s involvement in investigating emerging technology and its potential role in care.
Read the original Medscape article for additional reporting about the research.
To learn more about care at PCET, contact Pain Consultants of East Tennessee or call (865) 579-0552.
