Medical treatment method

• US 4,628,931 A
• Filed: 05/18/1984
• Issued: 12/16/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harold F. Barrett
• Original Assignee: Harold F. Barrett
• Inventors: Barrett, Harold F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US06/611,974
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 128/399-402, 128/362
• US Class Current: 607/96
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 7/00 Heating or cooling appliances for medical or therapeutic treatment of the human body heating or cooling means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses A47C21/00 ; massage, therapeutic baths A61H; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields or ultrasound A61N; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0659 infrared

Abstract

Conditions in a living body produced by injury or defective cells, such as musculo-skeletal conditions and the like, are treated by applying to the body infrared electromagnetic energy having a wavelength such that the energy is absorbed by the cells and having an amplitude that is effective to treat the condition, the energy being derived from a flow of heated air directed to an adjacent external area of the body, the wavelength being determined by the temperature of the air and the amplitude being determined by the flow rate.

Claims

1. A method of treating a condition in a living body comprising applying to an area of the body in which said condition is located infrared electromagnetic energy having a wavelength such that the energy is absorbed by body cells in said area, the energy being derived from a flowing gas that is applied externally to the body adjacent to said area, adjusting the temperature of the gas applied to the body to a value of approximately 108°

F. or less so as to produce at said area an internal temperature within the normal temperature operating range of the body, the wavelength of the energy being determined by said internal temperature, and adjusting the amplitude of the energy, by adjusting the flow rate of the gas, to a value that is effective to treat said condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said condition is produced by defective cells, and the amplitude of the energy is adjusted to a value that is effective to destroy the defective cells without substantially destroying healthy cells.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising employing said energy for energizing healthy cells in said area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy is selected to have a wavelength so as to produce a cellular-type resonance.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the wavelength is in the nine to ten micron range and said normal operating temperature range is of the order of 96°

-104°

F.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said internal temperature has a median value of the order of 102°

-104°

F.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said condition is a musculo-skeletal condition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said condition comprises scar tissue accumulation and said treating comprises dissolving the scar tissue.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said condition is one produced by injury.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said condition is a respiratory condition.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said gas is air, and said applying comprises directing heated air onto the body substantially perpendicular thereto at an external location adjacent to said area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said air has a temperature greater than the desired internal temperature by an amount at least equal to a skin-to-internal temperature differential of the body.

13. A method of treating a condition in a living body by using apparatus for applying to the body infrared electromagnetic energy having a wavelength such that the energy is absorbed by body cells and having an amplitude that is effective to treat said condition, the energy being derived from a gas flow that is applied to an external location of a body adjacent to an area containing the condition, the apparatus comprising means for producing a gas flow;

means for directing the gas flow to a desired location;

heater means for heating the gas flow;

temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of said gas flow; and

means responsive to the temperature measuring means for controlling the heater means so as to maintain a desired temperature of the gas flow, said method comprising directing, using said directing means, the gas flow to said external location of the body, and maintaining, using said controlling means, the temperature of the gas flow applied to the external location of the body at approximately 108°

F. or less and so as to produce a predetermined internal temperature in said area containing the condition, the predetermined internal temperature being related to said gas flow temperature.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said condition is produced by defective cells, and the method comprises adjusting the amplitude of the energy to a value that is effective to destroy the defective cells without substantially destroying healthy cells by controlling said producing means to afford a predetermined gas flow rate.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said maintaining comprises maintaining the gas temperature such that the predetermined internal body temperature is in the range of 96°

F. to 104°

F. the internal temperature defining the wavelength of the energy.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said maintaining comprises maintaining the internal body temperature to have a median value in the range of 102°

-104°

F.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the amplitude of said energy is related to the flow rate of said gas, and wherein the apparatus includes means for controlling the gas flow rate, and said method comprises controlling the gas flow rate controlling means so as to produce a predetermined gas flow rate.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said controlling comprises controlling the gas flow to have a value in the range of 46 CFM/sq.in. to 150 CFM/sq.in.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said controlling comprises controlling the gas flow to be in the range of 125 CFM/sq.in. to 130 CFM/sq.in.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said gas flow producing means comprises a blower driven by a motor, said directing means comprises a nozzle positioned on an outlet of the blower, and the gas flow rate and gas temperature are measured at the outlet of the nozzle, and wherein said maintaining comprises maintaining the gas temperature at the nozzle outlet at a predetermined value, and said controlling comprises controlling said motor.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said heater means is disposed at an inlet of said blower for heating the inlet gas thereto, and wherein said maintaining comprises controlling the heater means controlling means so as to provide a gas temperature in the range of 98°

F. to 108°

F.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said heater means comprises heating coils disposed within a member positioned at the inlet of the blower, and means for supplying to said member heat produced by the motor, and wherein said maintaining comprises controlling electrical current to said coils.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said supplying means comprises a duct connected to the motor and having an opposite end positioned about a tubular inlet of the member that has a smaller size than the duct, and wherein said maintaining comprises drawing heat from the motor through the duct.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein said applying comprises applying said energy for a predetermined period of time.