The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of different technologies, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality with modifications as passive content, active content, cognitive load modulation, and positive encouragement coaching to increase the pain threshold as assessed by immersing a hand in ice water.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
185
VR/AR headset with either passive or active content such as playing a game or watching a movie
Participants immerse hand in ice bath and starting again with their original assigned group and keep hand submerged as long as they can withstand the cold or until 4 minutes have elapsed, whichever comes first. Participants will not be told of the specifics of the time limit, to avoid competitiveness and expectations and will be asked for pain scores every 30 seconds.
Stanford University
Stanford, California, United States
VR Effect on Pain Tolerence
Given that the cold pressor test produces an uncomfortable experience, we considered longer duration within the ice bath to represent increased pain tolerance. Measured in seconds (s).
Time frame: Duration of ice bath (approximately 0 - 4 minutes)
VR's Effect on Perceived Pain Intensity
During ice bath data collection participants will be asked to report pain on a numeric rating scale from 0-10, 0 being no pain and 10 being most excruciating pain imaginable every 30 seconds during ice bath
Time frame: Duration of ice bath (approximately 0 - 4 minutes)
Skin Conductance Response Density (SCRD)
The effects of VR on modulating sympathetic response in the presence of painful stimuli, was assessed by analyzing SCRD per 30 second interval. We refer to each of these 30 second intervals as a separate epoch. Skin conductance is expected to increase with increasing sympathetic nervous system activity, as sympathetic activity increases sweat secretion to increase skin conductance.
Time frame: Duration of ice bath (approximately 0 - 4 minutes)
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