Virtual Reality Experiences Can Beat Painkillers For Relief, New Study Using Oregon Waterfalls Finds

Virtual Reality Experiences Can Beat Painkillers For Relief, New Study Using Oregon Waterfalls Finds

Virtual Reality Experiences Can Beat Painkillers For Relief, New Study Using Oregon Waterfalls Finds Virtual reality goggles and headsets absolutely exploded in the late twenty-teens, with products like the HTC Vive and Oculus offering incredible ways to experience video and gaming. Now, scientists are using VR experiences to study how the brain reacts to pain by showing  participants breathtaking natural scenery while shocking them in the arm. Conducted at Britain’s University of Exeter, the observed effects were as strong as painkillers, and even lasted longer than the 45-minute VR experience. They were also twice as effective, as calculated through questionnaires, than 2D video and sound experiences of the same scenery. While the hype and interest in VR has died down a little with a fall in the devices’ novelty, the study shows that they perhaps have a broader role to play in society than previously thought. “We’ve seen a growing body of evidence show that exposure to nature can help re…