Method of percutaneous pain alleviation

• US 4,155,366 A
• Filed: 05/16/1977
• Issued: 05/22/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ultra-Aids Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ultra-Aids Incorporated
• Inventors: Di Mucci, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/797,025
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 128/419 R, 128/421, 128/422
• US Class Current: 607/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain

Abstract

A method for effecting percutaneous pain allevation in which sawtooth shaped electrical pulses are produced at electrodes for percutaneous application to bodily areas experiencing pain. The electrical pulses may be selectively varied in amplitude in the range of zero to about 100 volts peak-to-peak, the pulse repetition frequency may be selectively varied in the range of about 10 HZ to 100 HZ, and the output current is from 1 MA to 40 MA. In addition, the output electrode is located at the site of the pain and the return electrode is located on the body at distance in the range of 7 cm to 20 cm from the output electrode.

There is also disclosed a method for pain alleviation utilizing electric pulses having the above-described parameters.

Claims

1. The method of alleviating pain at a portion of the body comprising the steps of generating electrical pulse signals having a right-angled sawtooth waveform with a pulse repetition frequency in the range of about 10 HZ to about 100 HZ, a voltage amplitude in the range of about 1 volt to about 100 volts, and a current amplitude in the range of 1 MA to about 40 MA, feeding the electrical pulses across a pair of electrodes, applying one electrode to the skin at the portion of the body experiencing pain, and applying the other electrode to skin at a distance of from seven to twenty centimeters from said one electrode whereby the electrical pulse signals block the pain at said portion of the body.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said distance is from ten to fifteen centimeters.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sawtooth waveform has perpendicular leading edges and sloping trailing edges.