VR headset eases pain and anxiety of medical injections

This study tested whether using an immersive virtual reality (VR) headset during botulinum toxin (Botox) injections could help reduce stress and pain for adults with spasticity from conditions like stroke or multiple sclerosis. Forty-two participants received their standard injections while some used VR to transport them to a calming, simulated environment outside the hospital. Researchers measured stress through heart rate and asked patients to rate their pain, aiming to see if VR could make these necessary but often uncomfortable treatments easier to tolerate.