Evaluating VR Therapy Using Cold Pressor Test

Using the Cold Pressor Test to Assess Effectiveness of Low-Cost, Immersive Virtual Reality Therapy

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT03268863

Enrollment

Registered

2017-08-31

Start date

2017-09-10

Completion date

2018-07-20

Last updated

2019-06-11

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Pain

Keywords

pain tolerance, perioperative pain, virtual reality therapy

Brief summary

This study is testing whether or not low-cost, virtual reality (VR) headsets for mobile phones can be used as a potential distractor from pain and thus would have clinical applications as a low-cost, non-pharmaceutical method to increase pain tolerance in patients undergoing painful or uncomfortable procedures. To do this, the investigators are asking volunteers to submerge their hand up to the wrist in cold water (Cold Pressor Test), either while playing an interactive virtual reality game on the headset, or while wearing a VR headset that is turned off as a control. The investigators will record the participants' tolerance to cold water as measured by how long the participants are able to keep their hand in the cold water.

Interventions

DEVICEVirtual Reality

Google Cardboard virtual reality headset

OTHERCold Pressor

A cold ice water bath for use in pain/discomfort simulation

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

CROSSOVER

Primary purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 65 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Healthy adult Mayo Clinic students and employees

Exclusion criteria

* Participants who are known to be sensitive to VR technology and/or have undesirable reactions to VR technology (i.e. dizziness, motion sickness) * Participants with significant alcohol/smoking histories, sickle cell anemia, history of previous myocardial infarction and/or coronary artery disease, malignant hypertension, metabolic * dysfunctions, pregnancy, Raynaud's disease, epilepsy, severe mental disorders, chronic pain conditions, or diseases producing neuropathic pain * Participants that have used drugs/alcohol the day prior to the study

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Pain Tolerance	10 minutes	Likert Scale, 0-10

Secondary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Pain threshold	10 minutes	Onset of pain/discomfort as expressed verbally, in seconds and minutes
maximal pain	10 minutes	Likert scale
Nausea	10 minutes	modified Likert scale

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026