Effectiveness evaluation of the psychological support inclusion in the correction of pain syndrome in patients with movement disorders at the stage of medical rehabilitation using the virtual reality technology

Abstract

Evaluation of the comparative effectiveness of various methods of psychological support in the correction of pain syndrome in patients with degenerative-dystrophic diseases of big joints and spine in the process of medical rehabilitation. In conditions of hospital, the 70 patients with degenerative-dystrophic diseases of the big joints and spine who received drug and non-drug treatment were examined. The dynamics of the psycho-emotional state, subjective assessment of well-being and pain was studied in three groups: the main group (24 patients) where the psycho-correction plan included classes with a medical psychologist using a high-tech VR tool - «Vive Focus Plus EEA virtual reality helmet». A comparison group (24 patients) who received a standard format of psychological support within the patient-centered approach. The control group (22 patients) where only psycho-diagnostic measures were carried out. The «Tamp Kinesiophobia Scale», «Visual Analogue Scale of Well-Being Evaluation», «McGill Pain Questionnaire» were used as diagnostic tools. When comparing the effects of the interventions the nociceptive or mixed nature of pain was taken into account. It has been shown that psychological support improves the effectiveness of pain therapy while the inclusion of a high-tech VR tool in psycho-correctional programs is expedient for overcoming the fear of movement and pain of neuropathic and mixed genesis but ineffective for relieving nociceptive pain, i.e. pain where there is no psychological component.