Could virtual reality help combat chronic pain?
Irish technology company wants to sign up 10,000 patients
NEW techonology developed in Ireland could help transform the lives of millions of people living with chronic pain.
One in three people in Ireland lives with chronic pain while one in five has been living with the condition for over ten years.
Now vStream, an Irish immersive technology company, has launched a campaign to sign up 10,000 patients to its Virtual Reality platform, ShineVR.
ShineVR, is a Virtual Reality Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) platform designed to deliver programmes in stress reduction, wellbeing and chronic pain.
The platform will feature on the RTÉ TV show, Big Life Fix, to be broadcast on Wednesday, showcasing the life-changing benefits of VR for patients with chronic pain.
The Enterprise Ireland supported company is keeping patients voices at the heart of what they are building, working closely with patient advocacy groups.
The show focuses on the creation of a tailored virtual reality solution for Theresa O’Rourke, a 72-year-old chronic pain patient and member of Chronic Pain Ireland.
The solution has been designed and built on vStream’s virtual reality platform, ShineVR, in conjunction with a team of experts which includes Dr Rosemary Keane, Principal Specialist Clinical Psychologist for Pain Management at Mater Misercordiae University Hospital.
ANDREW Jenkinson, CoFounder, vStream explains: ‘What we created for Theresa was a form of relaxation and distraction. The ability to provide an escape for her using elements of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) was the first step we wanted to take in proving the effectiveness of VR as a digital therapeutic. The results were astounding, with Theresa reporting no perception of pain during the VR experience, and an average 33% reduction in pain perception over the course of a year of usage.
‘It has helped her sleep and significantly improved her quality of life. But this is just the beginning. We are now raising investment to build a scientifically validated CBT course for Chronic Pain, which will provide long lasting effects to patients.’
The company wants more patients to sign up to help them test and develop the technology.
Niall O’Driscoll, co-founder of vStream says: ‘We need patients to be at the heart of what we do. We need them to help us build it. We need them to help us make it work. We need them to convince the healthcare community that this is worth investing in. Chronic pain is one of the costliest health problems in the world. It affects 20% of the world’s population, and in Ireland that number is significantly higher. We’re using the TV show to get our message out there and get patients signing up to become part of our development and testing.’
‘The team in vStream has a vision to create a powerful intervention by digitising evidencebased approaches like CBT, which we know work, and delivering them on a unique and potentially very effective platform,’ says Dr Rosemary Keane, resident in the Mater Hospital and clinical advisor to vStream. ‘I have been part of this journey to date, and I’m excited to see the solution progressing into something we can offer patients at scale. The need is there, we have huge demand on our health systems. A solution like ShineVR can and will have a real and much needed impact.’ vStream is currently on a funding round for the platform and is actively recruiting pain specialists and patients with chronic pain. The company is supported by Enterprise Ireland and is working with the Centre for Pain Research in NUI Galway and Chronic Pain Ireland. ‘Chronic Pain Ireland is excited about the potential of vStream’s ShineVR platform to transform the lives of those living with chronic pain,’ says Martina Phelan of CPI. ‘This initiative represents a significant leap forward in harnessing the power of immersive technology for health and wellness, particularly in a field as challenging as pain management.
‘The innovative use of virtual reality offers a promising nonpharmacological alternative that could revolutionise how we support those living with chronic pain. The direct involvement of patients in the development and validation of ShineVR is particularly encouraging. It ensures that the solutions created are genuinely attuned to the needs and experiences of those they aim to serve,’ continues Phelan.
‘We look forward to the possibilities that ShineVR brings to our community and the broader impact it may have on chronic pain management globally. It is initiatives like these that can truly make a difference, offering new avenues for relief, coping mechanisms and improving overall quality of life.’ RTÉ’s Big Life Fix airs on Wednesdays at 9.35pm. For more information or if you are interested in the trials see shine-vr.com and vstream.ie.