The Use of Virtual Reality for Lumbar Pain Management in an Outpatient Spine Clinic: An Exploratory Comparative Randomized Trial

Detailed Summary

The management of chronic pain is a significant public health issue related to escalating treatment costs, lost productivity, disability and medication use. The prevalence of chronic pain is rising alarmingly across all subpopulations with chronic low back pain (LBP) being labeled as one of the 15 most expensive medical conditions. Both study investigators are involved in the medical treatment of these patients. The investigators are interested in testing the effectiveness of alternative treatment strategies that address the complexity of chronic pain that is often mediated not only by physiologic variables, but also psychosocial issues. There is emerging evidence that Virtual Reality (VR) may be an effective pain management tool to augment care in this population, reducing medical costs, decreasing medication use, improving outcomes and empowering patients to take more control over their own health and management of chronic pain. Less is known about the use of this technology delivered in the context of care delivered in an outpatient clinical setting.

Study Details

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Interventions