Virtual Reality Therapy for Brain-Powered Healing

3 min read

A pencil and watercolor drawing of a patient with a virtual reality headset receiving a surgery while immersed in a calming, relaxing environment

Explore how research on placebo and virtual reality will transforming healthcare and natural healing

For decades, clinical researchers have been fascinated by the placebo effect. This positive outcome has been reported in some patients who have received a non-active or inert therapy, such as a sugar supplement, saline solution, or simulated surgery. It cannot be disregarded as a subjective reaction but rather a physiological response that has been shown to operate in several circumstances, ranging from pain alleviation to anxiety and depression. Yet, the placebo effect has always been seen as an outlier in clinical trials and treated as such rather than exploited for therapeutic reasons.

This is because the placebo effect is a reaction of the patient’s brain to the therapy’s environment rather than a specific treatment or intervention. 

The patient’s expectations, beliefs, emotions, the quality of the doctor-patient relationship, and the environment in which the therapy is administered all contribute to this positive result.

After examining the above factors, it’s worth asking two critical questions that can shed further light on the topic at hand:

What if, though, we could purposefully tap into the healing potential of the placebo effect by using VR to create a customized environment that triggers the patient’s brain’s natural recuperative processes?

This is the premise of virtual reality treatment, a new discipline that exploits brain power to heal itself. Virtual reality treatment is founded on the idea that the brain may be deceived into viewing a virtual reality environment as genuine, stimulating the same neural pathways and physiological reactions as if the patient were in the situation. This may be used to design therapeutic scenarios suited to individual requirements, such as conquering a phobia, managing chronic pain, or lowering stress and anxiety. A patient afraid of flying might be exposed to virtual reality with realistic images and sounds of flight scenarios. Led by a therapist who gives comfort and support, the patient’s brain would see it as a genuine circumstance and trigger the same panic reaction as if they were in flight. The therapist can coach the patient through anxiety-management strategies and progressively desensitize them to the fear until he can fly without discomfort. A patient suffering from chronic pain may be immersed in a virtual reality simulation of a peaceful and pleasant setting, such as a beach or a forest. Endorphin release and pain pathway modification would occur in the patient’s brain as if he were in the environment. This can be an effective method for managing chronic pain without using drugs or intrusive procedures.

This is not all. Let me paint you a picture with three vivid examples of virtual reality therapy stimulating the endocrinological system and helping patients managing pain:

  • A study at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles discovered that virtual reality treatment can help control chronic pain by activating the endocrine system. Patients with chronic pain from illnesses such as fibromyalgia, back pain, and neuropathic pain were included in the research. The patients were immersed in a virtual reality scenario of a relaxing beach setting, which assisted in activating the brain’s natural pain-relieving systems. The researchers discovered that patients who got virtual reality treatment saw a reduction in pain and anxiety while increasing a positive mood and quality of life.
  • Researchers at the University of Washington created a virtual reality treatment application to assist patients in managing chronic pain amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Some patients participated in guided meditation sessions that included peaceful natural sights and tranquil music while wearing a virtual reality headset. The goal was to stimulate the endocrine system to activate the pain-relief systems of the body. The virtual reality treatment software was shown to be beneficial in lowering chronic pain and anxiety levels among participants by the researchers.
  • An experiment at the University of California discovered that virtual reality therapy can be an excellent treatment for diabetes control in children. Children with type 1 diabetes participated in the trial, which included virtual reality teaching sessions that reproduced the consequences of high and low blood sugar levels. The virtual reality situations taught the youngsters the necessity of monitoring their blood sugar levels and implementing lifestyle adjustments to help them control their diabetes. The youngsters who got virtual reality instruction had better glycemic control and diabetes awareness than those who received traditional diabetes education, according to the study.

Conclusion

While research on the benefits of VR treatment for disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), addiction, and even stroke rehabilitation is still in its infancy, there is mounting evidence that it is effective. Virtual reality treatment has the potential to help more people since it is flexible enough to meet the demands of different patients and because it can be administered remotely. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and relaxation methods are just some therapies that can benefit from being integrated with virtual reality therapy.Yet, there are several restrictions and limits to virtual reality treatment. Maintaining the reliability and efficacy of the technology and establishing appropriate usage rules is a matter of investigation. In addition, VR treatment may not be suitable for all patients or at all phases of a given condition.Despite these limitations, VR treatment is an intriguing new frontier in healthcare since it acknowledges the brain’s inherent recuperative abilities. Making use of the placebo effect and the potential of virtual reality.

Given the potential benefits and significant challenges involved in adopting these new technologies, the question remains:

Which life science company will be the first to embrace the future of natural healing?

Flavio Aliberti Flavio Aliberti brings with him a 25-year track record in consulting around business intelligence, change management, strategy, M&A transformation, IT and SOX auditing for high regulated domains, like Insurance, Airlines, Trade Associations, Automotive, and Pharma. He holds an MSc in Space Aeronautic Engineering from the University of Naples and an MSc in Advanced Information Technology and Business Management from the University of Wales.

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