A new treatment used by doctors at ManorCare Palm Harbor in Tampa Bay, Florida, uses virtual reality displays to help patients during rehabilitation from brain injuries. The treatment, called Synchrony, has been very successful.

By developing treatments around the concept known as neuroplasticity, doctors can help patients reprogram their brains to carry out basic tasks. For example, patients can relearn how to use certain muscles with months of practice.

The treatment works by attaching electrodes to patients that can record and display brain activity on display screens. This is helpful for patients who are unable to feel when swallowing, as the screens in front of them display how their muscles are reacting. Doctors at ManorCare Palm Harbor argue that when patients see actions such as swallowing displayed on screens, they can become better at it over time.

How Can Patients Benefit from Virtual Reality Therapy?

For patients with brain injuries, virtual reality can be used as a tool to aide in their recovery. One man being treated at Manor Care Palm Harbor spoke with the press on how Synchrony helped restore his ability to swallow. He discussed how he had been unable to enjoy this favorite foods and drinks, such as coffee or hamburgers, for more than a year. After three months of virtual reality therapy, he is now able to eat a hamburger again.

Brain injury treatments are starting to rely heavily on software and computers. Future treatments are no longer science fiction, but a much-welcomed reality for millions of brain injury patients nationwide.