Overview
This study will determine if occupational therapy or the combination of occupational therapy and virtual reality is the better treatment for chronic low back pain (CLBP)patients.
Description
Chronic musculoskeletal pain is defined as persistent or recurrent pain lasting more than 3 months. Chronic pain is a complex and disabling physiological and psychosocial disorder that does not provide an adaptive or protective purpose. In chronic pain, the precipitating event (e.g., fracture, sprain, trauma) is healed, and yet excessive pain remains. In Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) people experience a three-dimensional, computer-generated environment via a computer headset. IVR has been used to treat acute pain, but there have been few focused studies on the effects of IVR on chronic pain. When people with chronic pain are in IVR, they become unaware of their body and tend to move normally. We would like to test to see if IVR has a lasting effect in this study. Thus, IVR has strong potential as an additional tool in an arsenal of treatments for chronic pain. This study will examine if IVR can reduce pain and other symptoms in people with chronic pain.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Ages 18 and older
- Referred for chronic pain occupational therapy services at the UPMC Centers for Rehab Services Centre Commons site.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Had a seizure, loss of awareness, or other symptom linked to an epileptic condition
- Had virtual reality intervention within the last 3 months
- Has sensory insensitivity such as hearing loss or low vision, as assessed by the PI
- Has contagious disorder on the face, such as pink eye, that could be transmitted via the VR headset or has open areas on the face that would come in contact with the headset
- Has a pacemaker or defibrillator
- Insufficient upper extremity coordination to operate IVR controls, as assessed by the PI
- Insufficient cognitive ability to answer questionnaires or learn to use the IVR, as assessed by the PI
- Have a diagnosis of ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) or unable to understand and/or respond in English