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Among women with moderate-to-severe pelvic pain caused by endometriosis, using at-home use of virtual reality therapy minimizes pain medication intake.
A randomized controlled trial highlighted the effectiveness of a 20-minute virtual reality (VR) treatment in alleviating the pain experienced during endometriosis-related pelvic pain. Investigators aimed to evaluate the impact of repeated at-home use of VR solution, in contrast to a sham condition on pain levels in women dealing with pelvic pain arising from endometriosis.
Participants were directed to utilize VR headsets two times a day, for a minimum of 2 days and a maximum of 5 days, commencing on the onset of their menstrual pain. Pain levels were quantified on a numerical scale (ranging from 0 to 10) before treatment and at 60, 120, and 180 minutes following each treatment session. The volunteers also provided daily reports on general pain, stress, fatigue, medication usage, and their quality of life.
The final analysis included a total of 102 endometriosis subjects, with 51 in the VR group (50%) and 51 in the sham group (50%). The mean age was 32.88 years (with a standard deviation [SD] of 6.96), and the mean pain intensity prior to the treatment was 6.53 (SD 1.74) for the VR group and 6.22 (SD 1.69) for the sham control group. From day 1 to day 5, the pain levels declined in both groups, with a reduction in drug usage.
The most significant decline in the intensity of pain was observed on day 2, 120 minutes following treatment, in the VR group and on day 3, 180 minutes post-intervention in the control group (Table 1).
VR demonstrated clear superiority over the sham treatment on day 1 (at 120 and 180 minutes), day 2 (at 0, 60, 120, and 180 minutes), and day 3 (at 60, 120, and 180 minutes). Similarly, the mean perceived pain relief was substantially greater with VR on day 1 (at 120 and 180 minutes) and day 2 (at 60, 120, and 180 minutes) in comparison with the control group.
Importantly, no adverse events were noted during the study. Using immersive digital therapeutic treatment for self-administration at home showed a favorable efficacy and safety profile in diminishing the overall consumption of pain medication among women battling endometriosis-associated pelvic pain.
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Pain Reduction With an Immersive Digital Therapeutic in Women Living With Endometriosis-Related Pelvic Pain: At-Home Self-Administered Randomized Controlled Trial
Benjamin Merlot et al.
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