Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Endorphins are the natural painkillers produced by the body. They are released by the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland. They are produced by the body during pleasurable activities and other activities such as exercise, meditation, laughter etc. In this work, these conditions are created by a virtual reality (VR) environment and employed to create a distraction which is a very effective and efficient way of managing pain. This distraction in combination with the release if the endorphins, is expected to have an effect on the sensation of pains in pediatric patients. This study develops a VR system and investigates the effectiveness of virtual reality distraction and no distraction at all in reducing pain and anxiety during a medical procedure in a pediatric population. Pediatric patients aged 4 – 10 were examined for validation of the system and they showed varying degrees of pain relief.
Authors: C.E Akunyili, E.A Okeke, I.J Ezika, D.O Oyeka
Institution: University of Nigeria
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4411389828