Noticia (ingles); Virtual reality technology aids real life medical conditions

[crazykenny]

Hola; vereis, ojeando noticias hace un momento, he visto un articulo sobre realidad virtual que creo que es interesante, y, bueno, aunque esta en ingles, quisiera aprovechar para compartirlo y ver que opinais, si no es molestia, claro esta;

Fuente; http://www.wsj.com/article_email/virtual-reality-as-a-therapy-tool-1443260202-lMyQjAxMTE1MTI3NjYyNTYxWj

(NPN) - Virtual reality may bring to mind video games and high tech graphics, but now, some medical professionals are using the technology for patient treatment in a range of areas.

For Michael Rosenzweig, air travel used to induce anxiety. So much that sometimes he would actually get off the plane before takeoff.

When he found out about a trial to face his fear using virtual reality, he jumped at the opportunity.

After several sessions with a virtual reality headset - combined with therapy, and an abundance of reading material about the safety of air travel, he says he was cured.

"I was amazed. I was gratified. I attributed that to the virtual reality therapy," Rosenzweig said.

Now, some doctors are using virtual reality for treatment of a host of different phobias including fear of driving, fear of heights, fear of needles and blood draws, fear of bugs like spiders, fear of swimming, and fear of elevators.

Dr. Elizabeth McMahon said virtual reality is a useful tool because it lets patients confront what scares them gradually in a controlled setting, with the guidance of a trained therapist.

"We can individualize this to be most effective for exactly what you need to get over your fear," McMahon said.

And the use of virtual reality in medicine goes beyond phobias.

"It's becoming a more common part of clinical practice and treatment because the technology is cheaper, better, and less complex. The range of areas include psychological treatments, cognitive assessment and rehabilitation, physical therapy is a big area," said Skip Rizzo, PhD at the University of Southern California.

Rizzo is the director of medical virtual reality at the institute for creative technologies.

His work includes using virtual reality in the treatment of veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

"Using virtual reality to recreate the scenes or the context in which a trauma may have occurred, and this, in this fashion we can put people back in these simulations and help them to confront and process very difficult emotional memories."

But how can it work if patients know it's just a simulation? Rizzo says it's all about the way our brains function.

"Even though at some level the patient knows I'm in a virtual reality world, I'm not in the real world, the brain still reacts to it as if it's the real world," Rizzo said.

He points out though: the technology alone isn't enough for treatment.

"You're never going to divorce the clinician from the treatment. This is just a tool to extend the skills of a well-trained clinician," Rizzo said.

As for Rosenzweig, he recommends virtual reality to anyone struggling to get over a fear.

"I'm a million miler. I fly all the time," he said.

Rizzo credits the gaming industry for driving the development of the technology. He said now that it's more readily available, he expects the use of virtual reality technology in medicine to take off.