# Pain-Distracting VR Games The SnowWorld VR Game Treats Pain More Effectively Than Morphine By Ell Smith | Published 2017-10-12 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snowworld References: [hitl.washington.edu](https://www.hitl.washington.edu/projects/vrpain/) & [vrpain](http://www.vrpain.com/) SnowWorld is an interactive virtual reality game which serves as a method of pain distraction and relief for burn victims undergoing wound care -- an excruciating process which can occur multiple times a day. The game immerses patients into a magical world that requires users to throw snowballs at virtual penguins and snowmen. The game effectively diverts a patient's attention away from painful procedures, by occupying the brain with another task. In a small clinical trial, 40 patients reported experiencing 60 to 75-percent less pain during the VR session, whereas morphine only provided patients with an average of 30-percent less pain. The use of virtual reality as a method of pain relief serves as an effective alternative to the over-prescription of opioid medications in the United States, which has tripled since the 1990s. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.2/10 - Popularity: 51% | Activity: 67% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Virtual Reality Pain Relief:** Virtual reality games like SnowWorld offer a distraction from pain and have the potential to reduce the reliance on opioid medications. - **Enhanced Pain Management:** The use of virtual reality games for pain distraction and relief provides a more effective alternative to traditional pain management techniques. - **Immersive Healing Experiences:** By immersing patients in engaging virtual worlds, virtual reality games create a more positive and tolerable experience during painful medical procedures. ### Where This Applies - **Healthcare:** Virtual reality games offer a disruptive innovation opportunity in pain management and patient care within the healthcare industry. - **Gaming:** The development of virtual reality games specifically designed for pain distraction and relief opens up new possibilities and markets within the gaming industry. - **Pharmaceuticals:** The use of virtual reality as an alternative to opioid medications presents a disruptive innovation opportunity for pharmaceutical companies in pain management. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [VR-Based Chronic Pain Treatments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chronic-pain-treatments.md) - [VR-Based Pain Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smileyscope.md) - [VR Physiotherapy Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/superhero-therapy.md) - [Mobile VR Pain Management Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/flowly.md) - [Back Pain-Focused VR Therapy](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/appliedvr.md) - [Healing VR Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/healing-vr-experiences.md) - [Gamified VR Therapy Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/behavr.md) - [VR-Powered ADHD Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vr-eyetracking-game.md) - [AI-Enhanced Virtual Reality Therapies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/virtual-reality-therapy.md)