Why virtual reality is the next frontier in pain relief: Games distract players and even trigger changes in the brain

Why virtual reality is the next frontier in pain relief: Games distract players and even trigger changes in the brain 

“Virtual reality games might help ease pain not just by distracting players from what ails them, but also by triggering changes in the brain, a recent research review suggests.

Distraction may indeed play a role in pain relief, the review of six small studies suggests. 

But it’s also possible that the technology could help produce changes in the nervous system when it’s used to help reprogram how a person responds to pain.

‘Guided imagery has long been a treatment for psychological disorders, and virtual reality is a more immersive way to provide guided imagery,’ said lead study author Dr. Anita Gupta of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University in New Jersey…”

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4889418/amp/Why-virtual-reality-frontier-pain-relief.html