Vagus Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia

• US 20090264959A1
• Filed: 02/06/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rutgers University
• Original Assignee: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (State of New Jersey)
• Inventors: Lange, Gudrun
• Granted Patent: US 8,457,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain

Abstract

This invention relates to the use of vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of fibromyalgia which comprises applying a therapeutic stimulation signal from a stimulus generator, when activated, to at least some of plural electrodes implanted in stimulating relation of the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve and activating the stimulus generator to generate the therapeutic stimulation signal to alleviate the pain under treatment.

Claims

1. A method of treating patients suffering from the pain of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) which comprises applying a therapeutic stimulation signal from a stimulus generator, when activated, to at least some of plural electrodes implanted in stimulating relation of the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve and activating the stimulus generator to generate the therapeutic stimulation signal to alleviate the pain under treatment.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the therapeutic stimulation signal is an electrical pulse signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the stimulus generator is adapted for manual activation by the patient.