XRHealth, maker of health-focused virtual and augmented reality tools, launched a new program designed to address pain management, as part of a partnership with ehealth company Reducept.

The new program will use a VR game designed by Reducept to help train a patient's brain to manage pain. The gamified experience offers targeted behavioral experiments and techniques to tackle pain, which are based on acceptance and commitment therapy, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy.

The program will run on XRHealth's VR technology, which allows patients to share their results in real time in order to adjust therapy. XRHealth's tech is also able to capture analytics over time.

"Virtual reality can provide a realistic and immersive experience for users to train their brain to gain control over their body and produce their own medication, potentially eliminating dependency on drugs while providing the much necessary alleviation from the pain," Eran Orr, CEO of XRHealth, said in a statement.  

"Users feel empowered by the new-found control over their mind and the influence it has on their body."

WHY IT MATTERS

Chronic pain is a common condition in the U.S. About 20% of adults in the nation report having had chronic pain, and 7.4% of adults report that chronic pain, according data from the National Health Interview Survey conducted in 2019.

The companies are pitching this technology as a way to curb the use of pain medication. Prescription pain medication has come under scrutiny for overuse and According to the CDC in 2016, more than 11.5 million Americans 12 and over reported misusing prescription opioids.

THE LARGER TREND

Earlier this year, XRHealth landed $9 million in funding from Discount Tech in order to expand its sales and marketing initiatives in the U.S., Australia and Israel. That came just a year after the company closed a $7 million round.

In 2020 XRHealth launched its first virtual reality telehealth clinic, which combines software, telehealth support and a VR headset to offer remote care.  

This isn't the only VR offering looking to help with pain management. AppliedVR and Karuna Labs are also working on products in the space.