While historically utilized in the arena of gaming, virtual reality (VR) has become a rapidly emerging technique in pain management, including recent FDA approval for the treatment of low back pain. VR’s ability to improve acute and procedure related pain, as well as a being a novel method for providing evidence based behavioral strategies, makes it an attractive pain management tool in primary care. This session will review VR’s analgesic and opioid sparing mechanisms, clinical evidence in common primary care pain scenarios, and provide guidance on how to incorporate it into practice.
