Can VR goggles ease pain for seniors in the ER?
NCT ID NCT06685107
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether adding a short virtual reality experience (5-10 minutes) to standard pain medication can better reduce pain, anxiety, and stress in adults aged 65 and older who come to the emergency room with acute muscle or joint pain. About 180 participants will be randomly assigned to get either standard care alone or standard care plus VR. The goal is to see if VR can improve pain management for older patients in a busy ER setting.
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 (geriatric-focused VR platform) plus standard pain medication
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a drug-free way to ease pain and anxiety for older adults in the emergency room.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study (180 people) and not blinded, so results may be influenced by expectations. VR may not work for all patients or in busy ER settings.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Maimonides Medical Center
RECRUITINGBrooklyn, New York, 11219, United States