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The following is a summary of “Impact of a virtual wound on pain sensitivity: insights into the affective dimension of pain,” published in the February 2025 issue of Frontiers in Pain Research by Koopmans et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate changes in pain perception by incorporating an affective component into painful stimulation using Virtual Reality (VR).  

They performed a 2-visit feasibility study to examine the impact of a simulated wound in VR on electrical pain detection threshold (PDT) and pain tolerance threshold (PTT) in 24 healthy male participants. The VR simulation replicated the research room from a first-person view. Before each VR assessment, participants interacted with the VR environment and 2 conditions were tested: (1) VR-Wound, where a burn wound, smoke, and electrical sparks appeared with increasing stimulus intensity, and (2) VR-Neutral, with no additional effects. The PDT and PTT were measured in both VR conditions and outside VR. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) questionnaires assessed unpleasantness and fear.  

The results showed that the PDT decreased when a virtual wound was displayed compared to the neutral condition. Participants perceived electrical stimulation as more painful and intense during the wound simulation than in the neutral condition. This effect was more pronounced during the second visit.  

Investigators concluded that VR amplified the perceived affective component of pain, suggesting a need for clinical trials to assess drug impacts on this aspect. 

Source: frontiersin.org/journals/pain-research/articles/10.3389/fpain.2025.1502616/full