Virtual reality headsets to help post-op patients relax
A hospital has been trialling using virtual reality headsets to help patients feel less pain after surgery by allowing them to meander through different scenaries.
Cancer patients are being given virtual reality headsets to help them relax during treatment and recovery.
The technology allows them to stroll along a tropical beach, swim with dolphins and turtles pictured inset, or enjoy a tourist hot spot from the comfort of their own bed as part of a trial.
The pilot study is being run at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent. It is hoped it will help patients relax, manage pain and recuperate from surgery.
The equipment has been loaned by Rescape Innovation, a Cardiff-based medtech business.
Sharon Turney, clinical trials unit co-ordinator at the hospital, said: “I have always been interested in the use of technology, particularly virtual reality in a hospital setting and am very much looking forward to seeing the results from this initial pilot.
“A lot of research has been carried out using VR before surgery but not after so this is a very exciting project.” The first patient to test the headset was Kieran Golding, from Faversham, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer last year and had chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The Swale Borough and Faversham Town councillor spent six nights in hospital and was able to use the VR headset twice a day.
The 71-year-old grandfather said: “I firmly believe there is a strong connection between physical and psychological health, and one has an impact on the other.
“I trained as a therapeutic counsellor so I believe in holistic treatments.
“It was wonderful to be the first patient to try it and I hope my feedback will be useful and others can benefit from this in future.”
He added: “I found the mindfulness-based ones were the most relaxing and the technology is fantastic. You can almost feel the water lapping at your feet on the beach.
