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Virtual Reality for relaxation in chronic pain and fatigue

Results of the "VR-Relax" proof-of-concept study

Study Director: Dr. Simone Behrens (University Hospital Tübingen)

In cooperation with Lab E virtuallythere (Provision of the VR platform with VR videos)


Introduction / Background

Chronic pain and fatigue are common, burdensome symptoms in patients with severe illnesses such as systemic sclerosis or multiple myeloma. Conventional treatment strategies usually focus on pharmacological and physiotherapeutic approaches, while relaxation techniques are rarely established in inpatient care. The study "VR-Relax" investigated whether immersive VR-360° videos can be effective, accepted, and technically feasible as a low-threshold and self-directed relaxation intervention in the clinical setting.​


Study structure

The study was led under the supervision of Dr. Simone Behrens at the University Clinics of Tübingen in the Dept. of  Pychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy . Between November 2023 and June 2024, 27 inpatient patients (12 with systemic sclerosis, 15 with multiple myeloma) participated in a five-day intervention using 360° VR videos. The videos were used ad libitum with a VR Pico headset through a curated media library (virtuallytheremedia.com). Acceptance, usage intensity, subjective well-being, side effects, and pain coping strategies were recorded at three time points (T0, T1, T2).


Key Results

  • The intervention was very well implemented: hardly any technical difficulties, high participation rate, low dropout rate.
  • Participants watched an average of 4.6 videos over five days (1–9 videos).
  • Acceptance was high: 77% would recommend the VR headset.
  • Side effects were minimal (primarily nausea, dizziness, and occasional criticism of image quality).
  • The strongest effect was observed in cognitive function (EORTC QLQ-C30; p = 0.004).
  • Additional moderate effects on insomnia and loss of appetite.
  • No significant changes were observed in the pain coping strategies – an indication of the need for longer-term, guided use.


Conclusion

VR-based relaxation interventions are a feasible and accepted complement to inpatient therapy for chronically ill patients. For sustainable effectiveness in the areas of coping, quality of life, and fatigue, future studies should examine a more intensive, regularly guided application.


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