Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

SnowWorld VR Game Reduces Pain For Burn Patients

Posted by Soulskill on from the probably-better-than-fireworld dept.

Bonker writes "The Beeb has news of a simple virtual reality game being used during treatments and rehabilitation for burn patients. Players who engage in a fast-paced snowball fight with penguins and snowmen report feeling less pain. SnowWorld was developed by Professor Hunter Hoffman and Professor David Patterson at the University of Washington Harborview Burn Center in Seattle. Hoffman said, 'Because humans are so visually dominant, wherever you're looking typically that's where your attention is focused. (For patients) during wound care, when they're getting their bandages changed, they're looking at these different tools that the nurses are using to treat them, and just looking at those objects makes them anxious. They begin to associate objects in the room with high pain so you can imagine that day after day they start to develop psychological associations between the treatment room and pain, amplifying how much pain they experience.'"

12 of 64 comments (clear)

  1. Wish my dentist had this... by Manip · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I REALLY wish my dentist had some kind of distraction... I mean going to the dentists is a really unfun experience generally speaking. I'd love to see TV, or a little game to draw attention from the drilling, poking, pulling, and injections.

    1. Re:Wish my dentist had this... by Tolkien · · Score: 3, Interesting

      One of the dental hygienists at my dentist's office looks like Yasmine Bleeth did back when Baywatch was popular and she leans over the chair and my head to have a clear view in my mouth, all the while pressing her very nice chest right up against my head. I always look forward to my dental appointments! She's even quite nice to converse with between dental instruments.

      --
      how is babby formed?
    2. Re:Wish my dentist had this... by migla · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I developed a slight aversion against being at the dentist since one time, when a dentist asked if I wanted anesthesia I thought if he asks, it can't be that bad...

      When I'm in the chair, undergoing something unpleasant, I tap the back of my hand with my finger and try to focus my thoughts on my tapping. I think it might be helping a little.

      I think there are techniques resembling this in cognitive behavioral therapy, but I haven't looked into it any deeper. I don't fear the dentist that much.

      --
      Some of my favourite people are from th US; Vonnegut, Chomsky, Bill Hicks.
    3. Re:Wish my dentist had this... by e9th · · Score: 2

      One German dentist has built her practice around this.

    4. Re:Wish my dentist had this... by rainmouse · · Score: 2

      I try to focus on the fact that I'm not a pussy and I've been through far more pain than having a little bit of fucking dental work done. Seriously...grow a set of balls you bunch of fucking jackholes-in-namby-pamby-land.

      Your right, computer nerds would never consider trying to use science to remove discomfort; they are well known for pointless gestures of machismo.

  2. Oh great! by sznupi · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now they'll associate the pain with snow and penguins! (surely this can't be some MS plot... right? Right?!)

    --
    One that hath name thou can not otter
  3. Re:Always forget how much needle anxiety there is by Anonymusing · · Score: 2

    I have veins like that too -- and I also don't have a problem with watching the needle. Hey, I'm getting it done because it has to get done.

    The grammar snob in me would like to point out that you meant "phlebotomist". But it's a tough word to spell. Probably a lot of points in Scrabble, too.

    --
    Liberal? Conservative? Compare perspectives at Left-Right
  4. Video games have always been great distraction by AndyAndyAndyAndy · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Example sicknesses, associated with the corresponding distraction:
    • Chickenpox, age 11, Sonic 2
    • Food poisoning, age 16, GTA III
    • Flu, age 18, Metal Gear Solid 2
    • Dental surgery, age 21, Freelancer
    • Mono, age 22, (Nothing, that was awful)

    I mean it's probably not so easy now being an adult, but video games have always been a huge help when it comes to getting over sicknesses. It makes perfect sense for burn victims, especially, to have an immersive type of distraction. We have the ability to, so why not?
    Also, I'm not sure why they came up with a brand-new game for this, when they could have just set up Mario 64 and had them race the penguin on loop.

    --
    It's always confirmation bias!
    1. Re:Video games have always been great distraction by healyp · · Score: 2
      "Also, I'm not sure why they came up with a brand-new game for this, when they could have just set up Mario 64 and had them race the penguin on loop."

      Because that level was so god damned aggravating! I don't remember how many times I've been down that fucking course! One false move and it's into the abyss! The song is still stuck in my head...

    2. Re:Video games have always been great distraction by Chris+Burke · · Score: 2

      Example sicknesses, associated with the corresponding distraction:

      Distraction, or nefarious cause?!

      I'm going to assume you already had Sonic 2 when you came down with chickenpox, and similarly for the other instances, and further assume you had played it quite a bit despite not being sick, and lastly I'm going to assume that correlation equals causation, proving that video games cause diseases and dental maladies that require surgery! Except Mono, thank goodness for that.

      And if that seems illogical, that's because video games are so evil that they warp reality, and the illogical becomes fact!

      Which, by the way, I'm pretty sure means the only way to stop the video game scourge is to give everyone mono!

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
  5. It's the Penguins by kbob88 · · Score: 2

    Clearly it's the penguins that are helping!

    In another study, patients who played a game that featured windows and paper-clips reported much levels of pain...

    1. Re:It's the Penguins by kbob88 · · Score: 2

      that's what I get for blowing though the preview page -- I meant much higher levels of pain