A Clinical Study of a Virtual Reality Game for Chronic Pain

This report presents a randomized, controlled clinical study investigating the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) game, Cryoslide, in managing chronic pain. The study involved 20 patients, examining the game's design, which incorporates pain distraction techniques and a 'n-back task'. Participants played Cryoslide or engaged in self-meditation. The findings indicate that VR participants experienced a higher percentage of pain reduction during the intervention compared to the control group. While the analgesic effect didn't persist beyond the VR session, the study concludes that VR holds promise in chronic pain management, particularly for short-term symptom spikes. The research highlights the potential of VR as an effective intervention to lessen pain intensity.

A Virtual Reality Game for Chronic Pain Management: A Randomized,
Controlled Clinical Study.
Abstract.
The use of virtual reality in the medical field has proven successful in reducing acute pain but its
effects on chronic pain are unknown. This study focuses on a VR game, Cryoslide which
analyzes the pain intensity of 20 patients with chronic pain.
Introduction.
Patients suffering from short span pains, examples: dental procedures, wound dressing and
physical therapy have been positively impacted by VR applications. Chronic pain is persistent
pain that arises from changes in the Central Nervous System. An estimated 105.6 million people
from North America and Canada suffer from chronic pain which proves hard to manage as it has
extreme side effects like physical dependence and drug addiction.
Chronic pain shows major differences amongst people who experience it but the findings of the
effects of VR on acute pain shows it can be used as a chronic pain management mechanism due
to its ‘painkilling’ properties.
2. Methods and Materials.
2.1 Virtual Reality Game Design.
Cryoslide uses pain distraction techniques involving 4 minutes of sliding in icy caves and 6
minutes of outdoor sliding. Players throws snowballs at the 4 characters which include: Booshis
which fly and bring about milestones, Moths: which fly in patterns hence impacting keenness,
miniature neuron trees which chase the player and the Adult neuron trees which chase the player
unless hit by snowballs in quick successions.
Cryoslide has the ‘n-back task’ that earns the player points for recognizing and throwing
snowballs at recurrent visual patterns.
2.2 User Study of Chronic Pain Patients in Clinical Settings.
The study involved patients between the ages of 30-74, and conducted in Vancouver. Patients
who suffered motion sickness or pain around the HMD contact areas were disqualified. Visual
Analogue Scales captured data on pain intensity while Intro Questionnaires collected baseline
data. Participants played Cryoslide for 10 minutes using Oculus Rift DK2 and noise-cancelling
headphones or engaged in self mediating activities for 10 minutes. Post-intervention
questionnaires collected pain intensity data presently and during the game.

3. Findings and Conclusion.
Small differences between pain intensities between the two groups after the activities were
observed. During the intervention, VR participants had a higher pain reduction percentage as
compared to those who self mediated.
Although pain management did not last beyond the VR session, we can conclude that virtual
reality is important in the chronic pain management field.