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Virtual reality may replace painkillers during procedures

NCT ID NCT07779083

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of California, Davis Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Aug 21, 2026 · Last updated Aug 21, 2026

Summary

This trial tests whether virtual reality (VR) distraction can reduce pain, anxiety, and the need for pain medications during prone pain procedures, compared to standard care alone. About 230 adults undergoing such procedures at a pain clinic will be randomly assigned to either use a VR headset showing calming nature scenes or receive usual care. The study measures pain and anxiety scores and whether opioid or sedative medications are needed, aiming to see if VR offers a non-drug way to improve patient comfort.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Virtual reality (VR) audiovisual distraction using a commercially available Meta Quest 3 headset with calming nature scenes and an ergonomic cushion/support
What this could lead to
If effective, VR distraction could offer a drug-free way to ease pain and anxiety during medical procedures, potentially reducing the need for opioids and sedatives.
What could go wrong
This is a single-site trial, and results may not apply broadly. VR may not work for everyone, and some people may experience motion sickness or discomfort.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 230 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Oct 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients aged 18 years old or older * Male and female gender * Referred to UC Davis Pain Medicine Clinic and require a prone pain procedure * English speaking and with the ability to understand oral and written instructions Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnant women * Prisoners * Patients who have high risk of motion sickness * Seizure disorder * Visual/hearing impairment

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anxiety disorder Pain Pain, Procedural

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Procedural anxiety Procedural pain

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • UC Davis Pain Clinic

    Sacramento, California, 95817, United States

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