Use of Virtual Reality Therapy (VRT) for Home-Based Pain Management, an Observational Cohort Study.

According to Nahin et al., approximately 126 million adults in the United States suffer from chronic pain, and within this group up to 40 million patients face severe levels of pain on a frequent basis. This is a huge concern as it is estimated that more Americans suffer from chronic pain than those suffering from cancer, diabetes, and cardiac disease combined. Furthermore, the cost associated with treating chronic pain in the United States is staggering and approximated to be as high as $635 billion annually. In addition to the staggering financial impact, there is an equally devastating human impact associated with chronic pain, including the ramifications on a patient’s ability to work, functional status, and sense of well-being. The most frequent types of chronic pain diagnoses are musculoskeletal pain located in the back or neck and osteoarthritis. For patients younger than 45 years, chronic pain is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Chronic pain affects Veterans at a higher rate than civilians, potentially due to their service and combat exposure. Although Veterans only represent 10% of the US population, Veterans account for an unequal burden of those suffering from chronic pain with estimates of the prevalence ranging from 44% to 60% within the Veteran population compared with approximately 30% within the civilian population. Comparing male with female Veterans, it is estimated that upward of 75% of female Veterans suffer from chronic pain. Furthermore, pain is one of the most common complaints from soldiers serving in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Unfortunately, the traditional approach to treat chronic pain (one based on the use of pharmaceuticals, including opioids) does not address the complexity of pain symptom burden or provide Veterans with a substantial level of relief from suffering due to chronic pain.