Water-friendly Virtual Reality and Brief Thermal Pain

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Using immersive virtual reality as a form of pain distraction during a brief painful but tolerable temperature.

Detailed Description
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This study will use Quantitative Sensory Testing (computer-controlled brief 10 second thermal pain stimuli) in healthy college students. The primary aim is to conduct a randomized, controlled study with healthy volunteers to explore whether interacting with virtual objects in VR via a high tech interactive VR system makes VR significantly more effective/powerful compared to a less immersive passive VR system, vs. No VR, for reducing pain during quantitative sensory testing.

Official Title
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Water-friendly Virtual Reality and Brief Thermal Pain

Conditions
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Pain, Acute

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Virtual Reality psychological pain reduction


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Currently enrolled in a course at the University of Washington Psychology Dept., participating in the UW Psychology subject pool Able to read, write and comprehend English Able to complete study measures Willing to follow our UW approved instructions 18 years of age or older Exclusion Criteria: People how have already previously participated in this same study (e.g., last quarter) are not eligible to participate again. Not enrolled in a course at the University of Washington Psychology Dept., participating in the UW Psychology subject pool Not be able to read, write and comprehend English Younger than 18 years of age. Not capable of completing measures Not capable of indicating pain intensity, Not capable of filling out study measures, Extreme susceptibility to motion sickness, Seizure history, Unusual sensitivity or lack of sensitivity to pain, Sensitive skin, sensitive feet, migraines, Diabetes.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Interventional Model Description: Within subjects crossover design, VR treatment order randomized (some participants receive Low Tech VR + High Tech VR, some participants receive High Tech VR + Low Tech VR) and some participants receive No VR in a side study to test the assumptions of our QST testing pain paradigm. No Virtual Reality (no treatment control side data to test QST paradigm assumptions). Low Tech/passive Virtual Reality for 1st pain stimulus+High Tech for 2nd pain stimulus High Tech/interactive VR for 1st pain stimulus +Low Tech for 2nd pain stimulus.
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| No Intervention: Control Group<br>No treatment, side study to test the assumptions of our quantitative sensory testing pain paradigm | |
| Active Comparator: Low Tech/passive Virtual Reality first<br>Low Tech VR first brief test phase thermal stimulus + High Tech VR during a second test phase pain stimulus | Behavioral: Virtual Reality psychological pain reduction<br>* attention distraction<br>|
| Experimental: High Tech/interactive Virtual Reality first<br>High Tech/Interactive VR during first brief test phase thermal stimulus + Low Tech VR during a second brief thermal stimulus. | Behavioral: Virtual Reality psychological pain reduction<br>* attention distraction<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| participants rating of worst pain  | using a single graphic rating scale, 0 = no pain, 10 = excruciating pain | immediately after each single 10 second test phase quantitative sensory test stimulus during a single visit | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| participants rating of time spent thinking about pain | using a single graphic rating scale, 0 = none of the time, 10 = all of the time | immediately after each single 10 second quantitative sensory test stimulus during a single visit | 
| participants rating of pain unpleasantness  | using a single graphic rating scale, 0 = no pain, 10 = excruciating pain | immediately after each single 10 second quantitative sensory test stimulus during a single visit | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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pain control