In France and around the world, many people suffer from back pain. Whether it is chronic or transient pain, it often leads to the immobilization of the individual. However, a new technique recently approved by the FDA in the United States could be a game-changer.
As the National Institute for Research and Safety (INRS) explains in a publication, low back pain is a set of symptoms characterized by pain in the lower back . It can therefore be a turn of the kidney, a lumbago or even sciatica. In France, three out of four people suffer from back pain and each year, this phenomenon generates approximately 2.3 million days not worked by employees.
Relieving back pain is one of the many concerns of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. The latter also confirmed in a press release dated November 16, 2021 that it had approved a new therapy based on virtual reality following a successful year of clinical trials. At the origin of this therapy called EaseVRx, we find the company AppliedVR. The system in question aims to reduce chronic pain in the lower back using a comprehensive support program using virtual reality.
In practice, EaseVRx relies on the use of a VR headset that incorporates a breath amplifier . Thus, the device sends the sounds of breathing back into the headset microphone. The goal is to facilitate the exercises offered by the therapy, based precisely on breathing. In their study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, the researchers mention a combination including biopsychosocial education, diaphragmatic breathing training and relaxation response exercises. These exercises activate the parasympathetic nervous system. In addition, this approach also offers executive functioning games to implement a body-mind approach to better support chronic pain.
The program takes place over 56 days and requires daily exercise for two to sixteen minutes . According to test results, 66% of 90 patients with chronic low back pain who used EaseVRx said they felt 30% less pain . However, 41% of participants in the control group reported a pain reduction greater than 30%.
Finally, you should know that since the green light from the FDA, EaseVRx isprescribed by prescription . The conditions to be met are age (at least 18 years old) and a diagnosis of chronic low back pain. The next step for AppliedVR is the commercialization of its concept, but for the moment, no date has been revealed.
