Virtual Reality and the Vestibular System: A Brief Review

Motion sickness can be one of the consequences of VR simulation. This chapter gives information on the vestibular system, both anatomy and function. It also discusses use of VR on treating various phobias, why this motion sickness occurs and the possible effect of VR simulation on patients with balance disorders.

Problem 1. A 25-year-old man sits in a flight simulator and plays with the instrument for 2 h. Afterward he feels nauseated and unsteady, experiences imbalance, and vomits. The symptoms quickly disappear, but he must wait several hours before driving home.

Problem 2. A 25-year-old male patient comes to the emergency room complaining of sudden attacks of spinning dizziness, nausea; he vomits several times. The acute symptoms gradually go away; however, for months afterward he feels unsteady and experiences instability in his vision (the world jiggles when he walks or drives a car).

What is the connection between these two situations? In both cases, the description of the individuals are the same and the symptoms are similar.