Virtual Reality Guided Acupuncture Imagery Treatment for Chronic Low Back Pain

A Feasibility Study of Virtual Reality Guided Acupuncture Imagery Treatment for Chronic Low Back Pain

Testing the effect of Virtual Reality - guided imagery acupuncture

The aim of this study is to develop a Virtual Reality guided acupuncture imagery treatment system for the treatment of chronic low back pain. This product will provide a new cost-effective treatment option for chronic low back pain and potentially other chronic pain disorders.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Volunteers 18-75 years of age.
• Meet the Classification Criteria of chronic LBP (having low back pain for more than 6 months), as determined by the referring physician.
• At least 4/10 clinical pain on the 11-point LBP intensity scale.
• Must have had a prior evaluation of their low back pain by a health care provider, which may have included radiographic studies. Documentation of this evaluation will be sought from Partners or outside medical records and kept in the subject's research record.
• At least a 10th grade English-reading level; English can be a second language provided that the patients feel they understand all the questions used in the assessment measures.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Specific causes of back pain (e.g. cancer, fractures, infections),
• Complicated back problems (e.g. prior back surgery, medico legal issues),
• Possible contraindications for acupuncture (e.g. coagulation disorders, cardiac pacemakers, pregnancy, seizure disorder), and conditions that might confound longitudinal effects or interpretation of results (e.g. severe fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis).
• Conditions making study participation difficult (eg, paralysis, psychoses, or other severe psychological problems as per the judgment of a study investigator during Session 1)
• The intent to undergo surgery during the time of involvement in the study.
• Unresolved medical legal/disability/workers compensation claims in connection with low back pain.
• Lacking the capacity to consent for oneself
• Do not have access to zoom or other software regularly to complete the study.