Objectives: The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the delivery and clinical efficacy of virtual reality (VR) therapeutics for acute pain management in adults and identify practical considerations of VR deployment, as well as current gaps in the literature.
Design: A systematic review.
Data sources: A search of PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Embase, Compendex, and Inspec was completed using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and keyword search terms related to acute pain and VR.
Review/analysis methods: A systematic review of all pertinent articles published between January 1, 2000, and August 1, 2020, was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
Results: Twenty-three articles met final inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Studies utilized VR in a variety of settings for wound care, procedure-induced pain, physical or occupational therapy, dental treatment or generalized acute pain. A likely mechanism by which VR promoted analgesia in these studies is distraction. Of the reviewed studies, 19 (83%) reported decreases in pain intensity while using VR compared with no VR use or with a non-VR group.
Conclusions: This systematic review found VR to be an effective tool for acute pain management. Findings from this review also underscore the importance of addressing the patient's sense of presence and levels of immersion, interaction, and interest when deploying VR. Future VR studies should consider incorporation of anxiety, presence, and VR side effect measures in addition to acute pain metrics.
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