Apparatus and method for using a portable thermal device to reduce accommodation of nerve receptors
First Claim
1. A heating device for therapeutically heating skin to reduce accommodation of thermal nerve receptors, comprising:
- a heat delivery element adapted to be worn proximate to the skin of a user; and
a microprocessor control unit configured to control the heat delivery element;
wherein the microprocessor control unit is programmed to maintain at least one cycle of skin temperature having;
a ramp-up temperature period,a peak temperature,a ramp-down temperature period, anda soak temperature,wherein the soak temperature is lower than the peak temperature, and wherein the soak temperature is greater than a body temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for portably delivering a therapeutic dose of heat to the skin to relieve pain, reduce accommodation of thermal nerve receptors, promote healing, and deliver transcutaneous medications. The heating device is user programmable or preprogrammed to deliver according to a variety of cycles, patterns and algorithms. The cycles, patterns, and algorithms of the heat are programmable parameters, are under the user'"'"'s control, and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the device. The heating algorithms are designed to interact with an individual user'"'"'s thermal nerve receptors and other tissue characteristics and to reduce the tendency of the receptors to accommodate to the external stimuli with back pain, muscular pain, dysmenorrhea, headaches, fibromyalgia, post-herpetic neuralgia, nerve injuries and neuropathies, and sprains and strain. The device can also be used in conjunction with existing medical devices such as Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators (TENS) to increase the effectiveness of TENS devices.
95 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A heating device for therapeutically heating skin to reduce accommodation of thermal nerve receptors, comprising:
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a heat delivery element adapted to be worn proximate to the skin of a user; and a microprocessor control unit configured to control the heat delivery element; wherein the microprocessor control unit is programmed to maintain at least one cycle of skin temperature having; a ramp-up temperature period, a peak temperature, a ramp-down temperature period, and a soak temperature, wherein the soak temperature is lower than the peak temperature, and wherein the soak temperature is greater than a body temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A user-controllable therapeutic heating device for relieving pain, comprising:
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a plurality of spaced apart thermal elements for heating skin, the thermal elements having a heat exchange surface in thermal communication with the skin; a power source electrically coupled to the plurality of spaced apart thermal elements; and a control unit operatively coupled to the thermal elements, the control unit allowing the user to activate the thermal elements for a temperature cycle and/or pattern, the temperature cycle and/or pattern having at least; a ramp-up temperature period, a peak temperature, a ramp-down temperature period, and a soak temperature, wherein the soak temperature is lower than the peak temperature, and wherein the soak temperature is above body temperature. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of using heat to reduce accommodation of thermal nerve receptors on skin of a user, comprising:
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(i) providing at least one heating element that is removably attachable proximate to the skin of the user; (ii) increasing a temperature of the heating element to provide a first temperature ramp-up period; (iii) holding the temperature of the heating element at a first therapeutic level; (iv) decreasing the temperature of the heating device during a ramp-down period; and (v) holding the temperature of the heating device at a second predetermined soak level, wherein the soak level temperature is lower than the first therapeutic level temperature, and wherein the soak level temperature is above a normal body temperature. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification