ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of virtual reality application on experimental ischemic pain created with a blood pressure instrument in healthy volunteers. METHODS: The research sample consisted of 172 volunteer adult students who conformed to the inclusion criteria. These individuals were assigned into an experimental (n=86) and a control group (n=86) by a simple randomization method. All individuals in the experimental and control groups wereexperimentally subjected to pain for two minutes by applying 260 mmHg of pressure 3-4 cm above the antecubital region of the left arm with an aneroid adult-type blood pressure instrument. During the procedure, the volunteers in the experimental group watched virtual reality images, while those in the control group received no intervention. Immediately after the procedure, the pain levels of the individuals in both groups were assessed with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). RESULTS: We found that the mean pain score of the individuals in the experimental group was 2.62±1.82, and that of individuals in the control group was 5.75±1.65. Results of the statistical analysis showed a statistically significant difference between the mean pain scores of the individuals in the experimental and control groups (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: This study found that the use of virtual reality was effective in reducing the level of pain in healthy individuals. This method used a smartphone with widespread availability and ease of transportation, which can be used by health professionals as a non-pharmacological method in the management of pain.
Subject(s)
Blood Pressure Determination/adverse effects , Ischemia/etiology , Pain/etiology , Pain/prevention & control , Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy/methods , Virtual Reality , Adolescent , Blood Pressure Determination/instrumentation , Female , Humans , Ischemia/psychology , Male , Mobile Applications , Pain/psychology , Pain Management/instrumentation , Pain Management/methods , Pain Measurement/methods , Reference Values , Reproducibility of Results , Severity of Illness Index , Statistics, Nonparametric , Young AdultABSTRACT
SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of virtual reality application on experimental ischemic pain created with a blood pressure instrument in healthy volunteers. METHODS: The research sample consisted of 172 volunteer adult students who conformed to the inclusion criteria. These individuals were assigned into an experimental (n=86) and a control group (n=86) by a simple randomization method. All individuals in the experimental and control groups wereexperimentally subjected to pain for two minutes by applying 260 mmHg of pressure 3-4 cm above the antecubital region of the left arm with an aneroid adult-type blood pressure instrument. During the procedure, the volunteers in the experimental group watched virtual reality images, while those in the control group received no intervention. Immediately after the procedure, the pain levels of the individuals in both groups were assessed with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). RESULTS: We found that the mean pain score of the individuals in the experimental group was 2.62±1.82, and that of individuals in the control group was 5.75±1.65. Results of the statistical analysis showed a statistically significant difference between the mean pain scores of the individuals in the experimental and control groups (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: This study found that the use of virtual reality was effective in reducing the level of pain in healthy individuals. This method used a smartphone with widespread availability and ease of transportation, which can be used by health professionals as a non-pharmacological method in the management of pain.
RESUMO OBJETIVO: El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar el efecto de la aplicación de realidad virtual en el dolor isquémico experimental creado con un instrumento de presión arterial en voluntarios sanos. MÉTODO: La muestra de investigación consistió en 172 estudiantes adultos voluntarios que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión. A estos individuos se les asignó mediante un método de aleatorización simple en un grupo experimental (n = 86) y uno de control (n = 86). Todos los individuos en los grupos experimentales y de control fueron sometidos experimentalmente a dolor durante dos minutos aplicando 260 mmHg de presión 3-4 cm por encima de la región antecubital del brazo izquierdo con un instrumento de presión arterial aneroide tipo adulto. Durante el procedimiento, los voluntarios en el grupo experimental observaron imágenes de realidad virtual, mientras que los del grupo de control no recibieron ninguna intervención. Inmediatamente después del procedimiento, los niveles de dolor de los individuos en ambos grupos se evaluaron con una Escala Analógica Visual (EAV). RESULTADOS: Se encontró que el puntaje promedio de dolor de los individuos en el grupo experimental fue 2.62 ± 1.82, y el de los individuos en el grupo control fue de 5.75 ± 1.65. Los resultados del análisis estadístico mostraron una diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre las puntuaciones medias de dolor de los individuos en los grupos experimental y control (p<0,000). CONCLUSÃO: Se encontró en este estudio que el uso de la realidad virtual fue efectivo para reducir el nivel de dolor en individuos sanos. Este método, que se lleva a cabo mediante el uso del teléfono inteligente y que ofrece una amplia disponibilidad y facilidad de transporte, puede ser utilizado por profesionales de la salud como un método no farmacológico en el tratamiento del dolor.