What if virtual reality and placebos are the answers when it comes to treating chronic pain?
A professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing is working to answer that question.
Essentially, tricking the brain may sound weird, but it is a no-risk treatment.
"We disengage with the reality that we struggle with every day. It can be so powerful in reducing pain, [and] anxiety, improving your mood, and sleep,” said Dr. Luana Colloca, a University of Maryland professor at the School of Nursing.
Colloca is head of both the placebos and virtual reality projects. Her studies are proving the power of the brain can be stronger than drugs when dealing with pain.
"The ability to create new strategies for pain management is valuable,” said Colloca.
This becomes especially true when dealing with the opioid epidemic. Willis Parker knows too well. "Pain around up in my jaw area, up around my temple, the back of the ear, and my right shoulder," said Parker, a patient in the virtual reality study.
His doctor at that time put him on OxyContin.
"I had noticed that I was getting addicted to the pain medication," said Parker. “And I was clean for 26 years, and I did not want to go back into that the doctors were saying, you know, as long as you take it once a week, as prescribed, you'll be alright, but that's not true.”
Desperate to find another way, he joined Colloca's virtual reality study, and it changed everything.
"I’m no longer taking them,” said Parker. "I’m not going to lie to you, at first, I couldn't even picture that something like that would take [the] pain away, but once you put the thing on your head. I don't know if it does something to the brain, but it really relaxes you.”
The best part is that Parker gets to use them at home. Putting the FDA-approved goggles on once a day for 20 minutes, he escapes to anything that's mind-soothing, like mountains, the ocean, and the sky.
"It's empowering to be able to have control over my pain, “ said Katia Matychak, who participated in the Placebos study.
A feeling that's all too familiar for Matychak.
"So, for a couple of years now, I’ve been dealing with TMJ associated with neck pain and headaches. It's quite painful. Jaw clicking is also a common thing,” said Matychak. "It was very interesting to see how the temperature change on the forearm can trick the brain.”
Heat is applied, and as the temperature increases, so does the pain. Then, a "special" cream is applied, and retesting is done.
"At the end, before they leave the lab, we tell them we used merely Vaseline cream, placebo cream, and they were usually surprised, like wow, I felt less pain,” said Colloca.
It empowers the patients to believe their brain plays a role in the reduction of pain.
"So when your brain and body is expecting one thing, but it's getting signals for another, temperature. You don't feel as much pain,” said Matychak.
Colloca also uses placebo pills to trick the patient's brain.
The studies are ongoing, with a new one launching that will be a virtual reality for cancer symptoms to target pain and nausea.
Hundreds of people are participating in each study, and the results have been a success.
