Virtual reality on pain and anxiety after modified radical mastectomy in menopause

Abstract

Objective: To examine the influence of virtual reality (VR) on pain and anxiety among post mastectomy menopause patients. Materials and Methods: Thirty females experiencing unilateral post-mastectomy shoulder pain and anxiety were randomly assigned into two equally sized groups. Group (A) which received a combination of VRand traditional physical therapy care. Group (B) which received traditional physical therapy care. A smart phone-based version of the visual analogue scale (VAS) was employed for pain assessment, while the anxiety rating scale was utilized to evaluate anxiety levels. Each group received three treatment sessions per week for three weeks.Patients were recruited from Om Elmasreen hospital and age ranged between 45-55 years. Results: Study results showed that there were no significant differences in ages between both groups statistically. Pain severity in study group had a lower mean score than those in control group, with a significant difference between two groups after the treatment statistically. Most of patients undergoing unilateral post-mastectomy reported being contended with virtual reality treatment, and there was a significant difference in anxiety between both groups statistically. Conclusion: Virtual reality demonstrates efficacy in alleviating pain and anxiety among post mastectomy menopausal patients.