Electrotherapeutic treatment

• US 5,107,835 A
• Filed: 05/22/1989
• Issued: 04/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Physiodynamics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Physiodynamics Incorporated
• Inventors: Thomas, Gary E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Frank S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US07/355,422
• Time in Patent Office: 1,072 Days
• Field of Search: 128/419 R, 128/419 D, 128/420.5, 128/421, 128/422
• US Class Current: 607/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/323 Interference currents, i.e. treatment by several currents summed in the body

Abstract

The present invention involves a method of treating a patient by providing a signal that is exponential in character to the patient. The signal includes a relatively low-frequency, constant amplitude, periodic-exponential first component. Further, the signal preferably includes a relatively high-frequency, periodic-exponential second component.

Claims

1. A method for treating a symptom associated with injured tissue in a region of a patient, comprising:

providing a first periodic-exponential signal to the region of the patient;

wherein a second periodic-exponential signal having a frequency between about 1000 Hz and 100,000 Hz is provided to the region of the patient.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said second periodic-exponential signal is exponentially amplitude modulated.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said second periodic-exponential signal is a double-exponential signal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second periodic-exponential signal has a substantially constant peak amplitude.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second periodic-exponential signal is clipped.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first periodic-exponential signal has a frequency between about 0 Hz and 1000 Hz.

7. A method for treating a symptom associated with injured tissue in a region of a patient, comprising:

providing to the region of the patient (a) a first periodic, double-exponential signal having a frequency between about 0 Hz and 1000 Hz and (b) a second periodic, double-exponential signal having a frequency between about 1000 Hz and 100,000 Hz.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said second periodic, double-exponential signal is exponentially amplitude modulated.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein a portion of said second periodic, double-exponential signal has a substantially constant peak amplitude.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said second periodic, double-exponential signal is clipped.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the symptom is inflammation.

12. A method for treating symptoms associated with injured tissue in a region of a patient comprising:

a) providing a first periodic-exponential signal;

b) providing a second periodic-exponential signal having a frequency between 1000 Hz and 100,000 Hz;

c) summing said first and second signals to produce a sum signal; and

d) applying said sum signal to the region of the patient.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

at least one of said first signal and said second signal is a double-exponential signal.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein:

at least one of said first signal and said second signal has a substantially constant peak amplitude.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said second signal is exponentially amplitude modulated.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein:

p1 said first signal is clipped.

17. A method for treating symptoms associated with injured tissue in a region of a patient, comprising:

a) providing a first periodic-exponential signal;

b) providing a second periodic-exponential signal;

c) summing said first and second signals to produce a sum signal; and

d) applying said sum signal to the region of the patient;

wherein said first signal is blanked when a pulse associated with said second signal is present.

18. A method for treating symptoms associated with injured tissue in a region of a patient comprising:

a) providing a first periodic-exponential signal;

b) providing a second periodic-exponential signal;

c) summing said first and second signals to produce a sum signal; and

d) applying said sum signal to the region of the patient;

wherein said first and second signals are each double-exponential signals;

wherein said first signal is clipped.

19. A method for treating a symptom associated with injured tissue in a region of a patient;

comprising;

a) providing a first periodic-exponential signal;

b) providing a second periodic-exponential signal;

c) summing said first and second signals to produce a sum signal; and

d) applying said sum signal to the region of the patient;

wherein said symptom is inflammation.

20. A method for improving the relative strength of muscles associated with the eyeball, said method comprising:

providing a signal to a selected group of said muscles;

wherein said signal includes a first portion having a first frequency and a second portion having a second frequency that is different than said first frequency;

wherein said first portion is substantially blanked when at least a portion of a pulse associated with said second portion is present.

21. A method for improving the relative strength of muscles associated with the eyeball, said method comprising:

providing a first periodic-exponential signal to a selected group of said muscles, wherein said first periodic-exponential signal has a frequency between about 0 Hz and 1000 Hz and a second periodic-exponential signal having a frequency between about 1000 Hz and 100,000 Hz is provided to said group of muscles.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said second periodic-exponential signal is a double-exponential signal and is exponentially amplitude modulated.

23. A method for treating an ulcer said method comprising providing a first periodic-exponential signal to said ulcer.

24. A method for treating an ulcer, said method comprising:

providing a first periodic-exponential signal to said ulcer, wherein said first periodic-exponential signal is a double-exponential signal having a frequency between about 0 Hz and 1000 Hz and a second periodic-exponential signal having a frequency between about 1000 Hz and 100,000 Hz is provided to said ulcer.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said second periodic-exponential signal is a double-exponential signal and is exponentially amplitude modulated.

26. A method for treating a viral infection in a patient said method comprising providing a first periodic-exponential signal to the infected region of the patient.

27. A method for treating a viral infection in a patient, said method comprising:

providing a first periodic-exponential signal to the infected region of the patient, wherein said first periodic-exponential signal is a double-exponential signal having a frequency between about 0 Hz and 1000 Hz and a second periodic-exponential signal having a frequency between about 1000 Hz and 1100,000 Hz is provided to said region.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said second periodic-exponential signal is a double-exponential signal and is exponentially amplitude modulated.

29. A method for blocking a plasma kinin from acceptor sites located in injured tissue, said method comprising:

providing a first periodic-exponential signal to the injured tissue.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said plasma kinin is a bradykinin.

31. A method for blocking a plasma kinin from acceptor sites located in injured tissue, said method comprising:

providing a first periodic-exponential signal to the injured tissue, wherein said first periodic-exponential signal is a double-exponential signal having a frequency between about 0 Hz and 1000 Hz and a second periodic-exponential signal having a frequency between about 1000 Hz and 100,000 Hz is provided to said group of muscles.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said second periodic-exponential signal is a double-exponential signal and is exponentially amplitude modulated.

33. A method for treating a symptom associated with injured tissue in a region of a patient, comprising:

providing a signal to the region of said patient;

wherein said signal includes a first portion with a first frequency and a second portion with a second frequency that is different than said first frequency;

wherein said first portion is substantially blanked when at least a portion of a pulse associated with said second portion is present;

wherein said second portion of said signal has a frequency between about 0 Hz and 1000 Hz;

wherein at least one portion of said first portion and said second portion includes an exponential signal.