Virtual Reality Reduces Phantom Pain in Paraplegics

Author: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
Published: 2017/10/30 - Updated: 2025/03/15
Publication Type: Informative
Peer-Reviewed: Yes
Topic: Pain: Acute and Chronic - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: Breakthrough research shows phantom body pain can be reduced in paraplegics by creating a bodily illusion with the help of virtual reality.

Why it matters: The article provides insights into the potential of immersive technologies, particularly virtual reality (VR), in managing chronic pain. It highlights how VR can offer a non-pharmacological alternative for pain relief, potentially reducing reliance on opioids and other pain medications. The piece discusses various studies demonstrating VR's effectiveness in distracting patients from pain, including its use in burn treatment and dental procedures. Additionally, it explores the concept of embodiment in VR and its impact on pain perception, as well as the potential for VR to be used in conjunction with other therapies for enhanced pain management. This article is particularly useful for healthcare professionals, researchers, and individuals seeking innovative approaches to chronic pain treatment, as it presents a comprehensive overview of the current state and future possibilities of VR in pain management - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

In breakthrough research led by neuroscientist Olaf Blanke and his team at EPFL, Switzerland, the scientists show that phantom body pain can be reduced in paraplegics by creating a bodily illusion with the help of virtual reality. The results are published in Neurology.

Main Item

"We managed to provoke an illusion: the illusion that the subject's legs were being lightly tapped, when in fact the subject was actually being tapped on the back, above the spinal cord lesion," explains Blanke, lead author of the study and holder of the Foundation Bertarelli Chair in Cognitive Neuroprosthetics. "When we did this, the subjects also reported that their pain had diminished."

Paraplegics suffer from no longer feeling their legs again, but the condition is often accompanied by neuropathic pain due to the spinal cord lesion. The patient feels pain originating from the legs, even though nothing else can be felt below the lesion. The sensation of pain is real and yet completely resistant to drug therapy. Now, virtual reality may be the key to providing pain relief for this type of pain, and the solution comes from restoring a sense of touch.

"We tapped the back of the subject near the shoulders and the subject experienced the illusion that the tapping originated from the paralyzed legs," explains Polona Pozeg, co-author of the study and now neuroscientist at the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV). "This is because the subject also received visual stimuli of dummy legs being tapped, viewed through the virtual reality headset, so the subject saw them immersively as his or her own legs."

The experimental setup involves a pair of dummy legs, a camera, virtual reality goggles and two rods. The legs are filmed by a camera. In real-time, the video is relayed into virtual reality goggles worn by the paraplegic patient. The subject sees the dummy legs viewed from above, as if looking down on one's owns legs. With this setup in place, the scientist taps the patient's back with one rod while simultaneously tapping the dummy legs with the other.

The subject therefore receives two stimuli, one tactile on the back, the other visual from the virutal reality display. Despite being consciously aware of being tapped on the back, the subject still begins to feel as though the tapping comes from the paralyzed legs.

"It takes about a minutes of simultaneously tapping for the illusion to take place," says Blanke. "The tapping on the back gets translated onto the legs because the visual stimulus dominates over the tactile one."

The research pushes the limits of how virtual reality can be used to implement conflicting stimuli, with the aim of ultimately manipulating the brain in how it experiences the body for therapeutic reasons.

Based on these findings, the researchers are currently developing virtual reality technology that automatizes visuo-tactile stimulations - an immersive digital therapy - that individuals with spinal cord injury and other chronic pain conditions for regular use at home.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: As immersive technologies like virtual reality continue to evolve, their potential to reshape pain management cannot be overstated. The ability to manipulate the brain's perception of pain opens new frontiers in treatment, offering hope to those long suffering from conditions like phantom limb pain. The implications of this research extend far beyond the laboratory. By demonstrating the brain's remarkable plasticity and its susceptibility to carefully crafted illusions, this study opens doors to a new era of pain management. Virtual reality, once relegated to the realm of gaming and entertainment, now emerges as a powerful therapeutic tool. While further research is needed to refine these techniques and ensure long-term efficacy, the potential to alleviate suffering and improve the quality of life for individuals with chronic pain, particularly those with limited treatment options, is immense. This innovative approach challenges conventional methods and offers a beacon of hope for a future where pain is no longer an insurmountable barrier. While still in its experimental stages, VR represents a breakthrough that may soon become a standard tool in managing chronic pain, offering a safe, non-pharmacological alternative to current therapies - Disabled World (DW).

Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne and published on 2017/10/30, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne can be contacted at epfl.ch NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.

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Citing and References

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Cite This Page: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne. (2017, October 30 - Last revised: 2025, March 15). Virtual Reality Reduces Phantom Pain in Paraplegics. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved March 23, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/health/pain/immersive.php

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