Series| Superhuman

Can virtual reality help fight the opioid crisis?

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Opioid addictions have become a dangerous side effect for many that take medications to treat chronic pain. To address this, doctors are exploring alternatives to prescriptions pain medicine. As part of this movement, Dr. Brennan Spiegel at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles has spear-headed some pretty fascinating research. He and his team are using virtual reality to reduce pain. Not only is it surprisingly effective when a patient has the headset on, but the effect extends beyond their treatment time. Could this finally be a completely safe tool for pain management?

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