Virtual reality in hospitals: therapeutic applications and outlook for 2026

Therapeutic virtual reality immerses patients in a three-dimensional virtual environment using a stereoscopic headset. Two main forms coexist: immersive VR, in which the headset occupies the entire visual field, and non-immersive VR, displayed on a screen. In hospital settings, the immersive version predominates because it engages more of the brain's attentional resources.

The neurological mechanism rests on a validated principle: immersion diverts attention away from pain or anxiety signals, activates specific brain areas and supports a process of gradual habituation. This is not passive distraction. It is an active reconfiguration of perception.

The fundamental difference from consumer applications lies in the very design of the environments: validated medical protocols, mandatory professional support during every session, and ongoing adjustment by the practitioner. Certified professional solutions allow healthcare professionals to control exposure in real time through a dedicated control platform, changing the intensity of stimuli, the context or the duration according to the patient's reactions. This control over the course of exposure is a standard feature of certified medical devices, absent from consumer applications.

This is the most scientifically documented application. When a patient wears a virtual reality headset during a painful procedure, their brain devotes a substantial share of its attentional resources to the immersive environment. Fewer resources remain available to process pain signals. A functional magnetic resonance imaging study confirmed a reduction of more than 50% in pain-related brain activity across five brain areas during VR exposure[1].

The quantitative data are robust. Research by Hunter Hoffman documents a 35–50% reduction in perceived pain among patients with severe burns during treatment, with peaks reaching 60% in some protocols[1]. These outcomes were obtained by combining VR with standard pharmacological treatments, opening up an important prospect: together, VR and opioids produce a significant additional reduction in pain, offering a concrete way to limit medication doses and the risks of dependence.

The settings in which it is used are varied. Care for patients with severe burns, chronic back pain, preoperative preparation, invasive procedures in children such as intravenous injections or dressing changes: in each of these cases, virtual immersion provides a measurable benefit. The advantage is twofold: a non-pharmacological intervention that limits side effects, and an experience that patients may accept more readily than a conventional analgesia session.

Virtual reality is transforming rehabilitation protocols by offering purposeful, motivating exercises, where traditional approaches rely on decontextualized repetition of movements.

Recovery after stroke

Recommended by the Haute Autorité de Santé since 2022[2] to improve motor function after a stroke, VR offers exercises directly grounded in everyday situations. For the upper limbs: grasping an object, opening a door, pouring a drink. For the lower limbs: crossing a street, climbing stairs, avoiding obstacles. These environments simulate real-life situations and stimulate brain plasticity through repeated practice in an engaging context, supporting the transfer of gains to everyday activities, a benefit validated by rehabilitation studies.

Pediatric rehabilitation and neurological conditions

In children with cerebral palsy, postoperative gait rehabilitation benefits from systems that can be adapted to the level of disability, age and progress made. The program adapts continuously: objects to collect in the virtual environment gradually become harder to reach. For Parkinson's disease, studies show improvements in balance, walking, coordination and cognitive functions, along with a reduction in the depressive symptoms frequently associated with this condition. The main advantage remains sustained motivation over time, averaging five months, thanks to the interactive nature of the exercises.

Virtual reality exposure therapies, referred to by the acronym TERV, are now a recognized treatment for anxiety disorders, specific phobias and addictions. The principle is that of cognitive behavioral therapies: gradually exposing patients to an anxiety-provoking situation in a safe setting until their emotional response recalibrates through habituation.

The conditions treated cover a broad spectrum. Fear of flying, agoraphobia, phobias of spiders, heights or enclosed spaces, tobacco dependence: each environment is designed to reproduce the patient's specific triggers. Outcomes for tobacco addiction are particularly well documented: psychiatrist Éric Malbos, a pioneer of cybertherapies at hôpital de la Conception in Marseille, reports a smoking abstinence rate of 72% after virtual reality treatment[3], compared with 50% with conventional CBT.

The effectiveness of TERV depends on the precision of exposure. Professional platforms allow environments to be adapted to each patient's specific triggers, the progressive intensity of stimuli to be adjusted, and control over the course of the session to be maintained through a dedicated interface. C2Care, for example, offers more than 250 exposure situations covering phobias, social anxiety and addictions, controlled by the practitioner from a single platform. TERV does not replace other treatments: it forms part of an overall protocol that includes motivational interviewing and, if necessary, medication.

First key benefit: a controlled and reproducible environment. Unlike exposure in real-life situations, VR does not depend on the weather, travel or the availability of a specific location. A practitioner can recreate an airport, a crowd or a staircase from their office, using the same settings from one session to the next.

Second advantage: personalisation. Settings, context, stimuli, intensity and pace are adjusted in real time according to the patient's goals and reactions. This adaptability is impossible to achieve with conventional approaches. Professional platforms bring together several therapeutic areas, including phobias, addictions, relaxation and cognitive stimulation, in a single tool, allowing practitioners to address varied needs without multiplying equipment.

Third benefit: the transfer of acquired skills. Studies on motor rehabilitation confirm that progress made in virtual environments is maintained in everyday activities, which is not always the case with exercises performed out of context.

Finally, safety. VR offers an alternative or a complement to pharmacological treatments, with fewer side effects. In France, thanks to C2Care, approximately 350 facilities are equipped and 700 practitioners trained, demonstrating real adoption, beyond experimental use.

Virtual reality in hospitals, used in particular for claustrophobia, is not without constraints. These fall into three categories.

Physiologically, some patients develop cybersickness: nausea, dizziness, eye strain or migraines during or after the session. These effects are generally temporary and subside once exposure ends. No serious adverse effects have been reported in clinical studies. Increased anxiety may occur during an exposure session, highlighting the importance of professional support. Contraindications include treated epilepsy, vestibular disorders and certain psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia.

Economically, purchasing compatible VR headsets, software licences, maintenance and staff training represent a substantial initial investment. This investment must be weighed against measurable benefits: reduced use of pharmacological treatments, improved adherence to protocols and more efficient use of rehabilitation time.

Organisationally, integrating VR into routine care requires practitioners to adapt and receive structured training. The risk of dissociation, meaning a different response in a virtual environment compared with a real-life situation, requires virtual reality exposure therapy to be combined with other therapeutic approaches rather than used alone. VR is one tool among others, not a standalone protocol.