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. 2023 Feb 24;2(1):100181.
doi: 10.1016/j.inpm.2023.100181. eCollection 2023 Mar.

Virtual reality therapy for myofascial pain: Evolving towards an evidence-based non-pharmacologic adjuvant intervention

Erik F Wang  1 , Rohan Jotwani  2
Affiliations

Virtual reality therapy for myofascial pain: Evolving towards an evidence-based non-pharmacologic adjuvant intervention

Erik F Wang et al. Interv Pain Med. .

Abstract

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a highly prevalent and burdensome cause of pain globally, representing a major focus of chronic pain management. Management of MPS is highly variable, with therapies ranging from interventional approaches to physical therapy. Virtual reality (VR) is a novel form of therapy being actively explored as an adjuvant to procedural sedation in the acute pain setting, and increasingly as a means of chronic pain management through programs that facilitate pain education, physical therapy and mindfulness, among other approaches. However, to date, there are minimal clinical studies assessing VR therapy within the context of MPS treatments. Given the existing volume of work published in the acute pain setting and the translational work exploring VR and neuroplasticity in chronic pain, we make the case here that it is an appropriate time to consider exploring VR therapy as a non-pharmacological adjuvant treatment for MPS.

Keywords: Digital therapeutics; Extended reality; Myofascial pain syndrome; Trigger point injections; Virtual reality.

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Conflict of interest statement

Rohan Jotwani is a Scientific Advisor to Medis Media, but he owns no shares/financial interests with the organization and receives no funding from the organization. Erik Wang has no conflicts of interest to report.

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