Got Pain? A Virtual Swim With Dolphins May Help Melt It Away
"I get a strong feeling of pleasure, relaxation and peace," he says.
It doesn't take long to produce that effect — about 10 minutes or so, via the headset.
Norris is no stranger to pain. He's got chronic pain through his spine, back and hips, from injuries that go back years.
Ever since he was introduced to virtual reality, he's been hooked. In addition to swimming with dolphins, he's tried other VR experiences, such as wilderness walks.
A study published this month in the journal PLOS ONE is just the latest to document that an immersive, virtual reality experience can be an effective strategy for reducing pain.
VR "changes the way we perceive the pain," explains study author Brennan Spiegel, a physician and the director of Cedars-Sinai Health Services Research in Los Angeles.
See the full story here: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/08/19/751495463/got-pain-a-virtual-swim-with-dolphins-may-help-melt-it-away