“ABTRACT”

This study provides an important foundation for exploring the physiological and perceptual dimensions of pain using VR. Not only by demonstrating the potential of VR for non-pharmacological pain relief but also by laying the groundwork for future advances in technology for our ultimate goal, which is to develop non-invasive creative brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that use real-time biometric data for therapeutic and artistic expression. This development envisions a transformative approach to healthcare, where technology and creativity converge for holistic well-being.
This device could be developed to address more serious problems, helping people with terminal illnesses and/or with chronic pain. There’s a robust body of evidence targeting processes that should eventually lead, through experimental methodology, to the discovery of the behavioural factors that make up the dimensions of pain and pain relief.
Chronic pain, as a major public health challenge, affects both the physical and psychological well-being. Traditional pain management strategies can be ineffective or have side effects, requiring innovative approaches. This research explores a VR-based solution to pain management that integrates behavioural insights to improve the effectiveness of therapy. We examine how real-time VR responses to biometric data and guided breathing exercises can influence responses to pain.

¿What do you need to do to actually ‘feel’/sense less pain?
For this experiment, participants were recruited online and divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group experienced a controlled Cold Pressor Test in a VR environment responsive to biometric feedback, while the control group experienced a similar non-VR environment. Physiological responses and subjective pain assessments were measured using the EmotiBit device as the objective measure and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for the subjective report. The data was integrated in real time to the VR experience affecting it to support immersiveness.
The VR group showed a reduction in pain perception and increased pain tolerance, with physiological data reflecting these changes. The study highlights how the immersive and adaptive qualities of VR, coupled with guided breathing techniques, can effectively modify behavioural and emotional responses to pain. This is supported by the notion of pain masking, where a stimulus is presented to compete with the pain signal so as to distract the user's attention and influence their perception of pain. The reduction in pain perception in the VR group can be attributed to the environment's immersive and responsive nature, enhancing the pain masking with behavioural strategies for pain management, such as distraction and relaxation techniques.
The aim of the study is to understand pain management through a behavioural lens using VR, and to establish VR as an effective tool for pain relief. Further research is needed to delve into the underlying cognitive behavioural mechanisms, to assess long-term VR effects, and to integrate these approaches into comprehensive pain relief and chronic pain treatment protocols.

“KEYWORDS” // Realidad Virtual (RV), Manejo del Dolor, Datos Biométricos, BCI.

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