Electro-therapeutic device

• US 20030176901A1
• Filed: 02/11/2003
• Published: 09/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hans-Ulrich May
• Original Assignee: Hans-Ulrich May
• Inventors: May, Hans-Ulrich
• Granted Patent: US 7,418,294 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/68
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/32 alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02

Abstract

In the field of electrotherapy, there are currently known devices and methods, in which either the frequency or the amplitude of a therapeutic current is varied. According to a representation of the amplitude on a logarithmic frequency scale, said methods are designated correspondingly as methods of vertical or horizontal stimulation. Various advantages and disadvantages are associated with both methods. The invention relates to a device for carrying out an electrotherapeutic method, according to which the amplitude (A) and the frequency (f) of the therapeutic current (i_B) are simultaneously varied within a therapeutic frequency band (f_B), which lies in the medium frequency range, in such a way that the method is carried out in discrete frequency steps, either in the range of different frequencies lying just below a stimulation threshold (RS), or periodically between a stimulation that lies above the threshold and a stimulation that lies below said threshold.

Claims

1. An electro-therapeutic device for treating the preferably human body with electrical currents of a defined frequency and amplitude, comprising at least two flat electrodes attachable to the body to be treated for closing a current circuit via said body, in connection with which device a treatment current (i_B) whose amplitude (A) and frequency (f) can be modulated simultaneously, can be introduced into the body to be treated, characterized in that the treatment current (i_B) can be varied within a frequency band (f_B) designated as the medium frequency range between from 1 to 100 kHz, in a manner such that it is varied in preferably discrete frequency steps between a first limit value with a low limit frequency (f_u) at a simultaneously minimal amplitude (A_u) of the treatment current (i_B), and a second limit value with an upper limit frequency (f_o) with a maximal amplitude (A_o) of the treatment current (f_B) and a second limit value with an upper limit frequency (f_o) with a minimal amplitude (A_u) of the treatment current (f_B), whereby the amplitude rises or drops as the frequency is increasing, or, vice-versa, the amplitude (A) of the treatment current (f_B) decreases or rises as the frequency is decreasing.

2. The electro-therapeutic device according to claim 1, characterized in that the treatment current (f_B) is modulated in such a manner that it is varied at least within a part of the treatment frequency band (f_B) between the first and the second limit values in a manner such that it is varied slightly above or below the threshold based on a stimulation threshold (RS), substantially in parallel with the stimulation threshold (RS), in a manner such that the treatment current (f_B) is always trailing the sensitivity threshold (ES) depending upon the amplitude and the frequency, in each case slightly exceeding or falling short of the sensitivity threshold.

3. The electro-therapeutic device according to claim 2, characterized in that the parameters of the electro-therapeutic device (1) are fixed in a manner such that at a lower frequency (f_u), the amplitude (A) of the treatment current (f_B) is raised up to barely above or below the sensitivity threshold (ES) up to an amplitude value (A_u), and said amplitude value can be stored as the first limit value within an operating memory (7) of the electro-therapeutic device;

and that at an upper limit frequency (f_o) that can be preset, the amplitude (A) of the treatment current (i_B) is again raised up to barely above or below the sensitivity threshold (ES) up to an amplitude value (A_o) of the treatment current (i_B) and can be stored within the operating memory (7) as the second limit value.

4. The electro-therapeutic device according to claim 2 or 3, in connection with which device, the trailing takes place between the first and the second limit values in defined frequency steps, with a current amplitude (A) lying barely above or below the sensitivity threshold (RS) being allocated to each of such steps.

5. The electro-therapeutic device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the treatment current (i_B) is modulated in such a manner that at least within a part of the frequency band (f_B), between the first limit value with a lower frequency (f_u), to which an amplitude (A_o) of the treatment current lying above the sensitivity threshold (RS) is allocated, and a second limit value with an upper limit frequency (f_o), to which an amplitude (A_o) of the treatment current (i_B) lying distinctly below the sensitivity threshold (RS) is allocated, the treatment current is varied in a manner such that the stimulation threshold (RS) is intersected in each case at an angle that can be preset in a variable manner.

6. The electro-therapeutic device according to claim 5, characterized in that the parameters of the electro-therapeutic device are fixed in such a manner that at a lower frequency (f_u) that can be preset, an amplitude (A_o) of the treatment current (i_B) distinctly above the stimulation threshold (RS) is picked up and can be stored within the operating memory (7) as the first limit value, and following an upper limit frequency (f_o), an amplitude (A_u) of the treatment current (i_B) lying distinctly below the sensitivity threshold (RS) is determined in the form of a defined proportion of the amplitude (A_o) and filed within the operating memory (7) as the second limit value.

7. The electro-therapeutic device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the method is carried out between the first and the second limit values in preferably discrete frequency steps in a manner such that the phases of the above-threshold and the below-threshold stimulation alternate periodically.

8. The electro-therapeutic device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that a relevant treatment frequency range (f_Br) lying between the lower limit frequency (f_u) and the upper limit frequency (f_o) can be run through at preferably different speeds that can be preset.

9. The electro-therapeutic device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a current or voltage generator (2) for generating the treatment current (i_B), the frequency of which generator can be modulated by means of an oscillator (4) and a frequency-setting device (5) allocated to said oscillator;

and the amplitude of which can be modulated by a setting device (3); and

with a processor unit (6) as well as a memory unit (7) allocated to said processor unit for controlling and/or regulating the electro-therapy, as well as comprising at least two flat electrodes (13 to 15) for attachment to a body to be treated in a contacting manner.

10. The electro-therapeutic device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the device comprises a plurality, at least two current circuits operating independently of one another.

11. The electro-therapeutic device according to claim 10 comprising at least three, preferably four independent current circuits for generating interferences within the body to be treated, in a manner such that three treatment currents (i_B1 to i_B3) with a preferably variable, minor frequency difference preferably in the range of 1/60 and 1/5 Hz, can be simultaneously introduced into the body to be treated.

12. The electro-therapeutic device according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that a gradual phase shift can be adjusted between the voltages or currents (i_B1 to i_B3) introduced by means of the different current circuits.

13. The electro-therapeutic device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the frequencies (f) applied for treating the body are simultaneously reproducible audiophonically, and/or that defined works of music can be used for the therapeutic treatment or the modulation of the treatment current (i_B).

14. The electro-therapeutic device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a device for reproducing color and/or light is allocated to the electro-therapeutic device in such a manner that the frequencies applied for modulating the treatment current (i_B) can be simultaneously applied for controlling the light system in terms of a light and/or color visualization.

15. The application of the electro-therapeutic device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims for carrying out a respirator-triggered, active expiration and/or for the prophylaxis of an inactivity atrophy of the respiratory muscle.