Assessing the Impact of Immersive Virtual Reality Experience on Injection-related Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Interventional Pain Spine Procedures: a Prospective Randomized Trial

Summary

Periprocedural anxiety is a common problem for patients who undergo interventional pain procedures. Virtual Reality (VR) is an immersive experience that has gained acceptance in the medical field as a tool for reducing anxiety and pain for patients.Research Aim: To evaluate the effect of immersive virtual reality (VR) on periprocedural anxiety related to therapeutic cervical epidural steroid injections (ESI). The investigators hypothesize that immersive virtual reality will result in a clinically meaningful anxiety reduction, defined as the proportion of participants with \> 50% reduction in Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) anxiety scores when compared to participants in the non-treatment group who will have standard preprocedural waiting time conditions in clinic, but no VR experience. Similarly, the investigators hypothesize a significant reduction in objective sympathetic tone as measured by skin sympathetic nerve activity (SKNA).

Eligibility

Age range

18–80 years

Sex

All

Healthy volunteers

No

Interventions

• Other
  Group 1 Immersive Virtual Reality (VR)

  Participants in Group 1 Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) participants wear the device covering their eyes. The viewing experience will include calming nature sounds for between 15-20 minutes before their planned plain clinic procedure

• Other
  Group 2 Control Group

  Group 2 control group participants have no preprocedural intervention. Standard clinic waiting conditions for 15-20 minutes before their planned pain clinic procedure.

Location