Virtual Reality Longer Technology Operations Medical People Suffer

For many people, "virtual reality" is simply a "gaming platform" (a technology used to play video games), but others are finding more "practical" (useful) "applications" (uses) for the technology. This is especially true in medicine.

For example, virtual reality is being used to train "surgeons" to perform "delicate" (requiring careful, small movements) operations by allowing them to practice "techniques" (ways of doing things) in a virtual reality environment before they ever work on a real patient.

In other medical "settings" (environments), researchers have found that virtual reality can help "amputees" (people who have had an arm or leg cut off) "overcome" (no longer suffer from) "phantom pain" (feelings of pain in a body part that is no longer part of one's body). Apparently, patients who report phantom pain can use virtual reality to "see" the missing limb and "control" its movement, which reduces or "eliminates" (gets rid of) the pain. Medical care providers have also begun using virtual reality to "distract" (divert attention; help someone avoid thinking about something) patients during painful operations or treatments.

"Returning soldiers" (people who fought in a war and are now back and no longer fighting) who suffer from "post-traumatic stress syndrome" (intense, frightening, and stressful feelings related to one's past experiences) can use virtual reality with "supervision" (with another person monitoring and controlling the technology) to "relive" (experience again) their experiences during the war and learn to control their reaction to those memories and feelings.

Similarly, teachers are using virtual reality to help children with "autism" (a disorder that makes it difficult for people to control their emotions and interact with others) improve their ability to interact with others and "express" (show and share) their "emotions" (feelings).