3 dimensional head apparatus and method for the treatment of BPPV

• US 6,568,396 B1
• Filed: 10/24/2000
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philip F. Anthony
• Original Assignee: Philip F. Anthony
• Inventors: Anthony, Philip F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Application Number:
  US09/695,348
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 128/897-98, 600/301
• US Class Current: 128/897
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4023 Evaluating sense of balance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for visually guiding a person'"'"'s head into a position sequence necessary to allow abnormally positioned crystals to fall out of a posterior membranous semicircular canal to relieve the symptoms of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. The apparatus includes a fluid suspended, buoyancy neutral inner member, which has printed upon it a sequentially numbered series of position bull'"'"'s eyes, which are connected by a path printed on the inner member. The inner member is contained within a transparent, watertight outer housing, which has a sighting marking printed upon it. The device is attached to the user'"'"'s head in a manner such that the outer housing sighting marking and an aligned inner member position bull'"'"'s eyes can be seen by the user. The inner member has a magnet which keeps it aligned with a magnetic field with the outer housing being movable about the inner member. The user moves his head such that the outer housing sighting device and the inner member” position bull” eyes are sequentially aligned. Between each bull'"'"'s eye and the next, the sighting device is kept aligned with the path printed between the inner members position bull'"'"'s eyes. Together these provide a pathway for the user to visually track his correct head position through the posterior canalith repositioning maneuver sequence. Other embodiments are disclosed including an entrapment device, a hanging object device, sand in tube device, a rolling ball device, and an electronic gravity sensing device.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use for treating benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in a person, comprising:

a device sensitive to different spatial positions for displaying information sufficient to allow the person to follow a given path with the person'"'"'s head when said device is coupled to the person'"'"'s head, and

coupling means for coupling said device to the person'"'"'s head next to an eye of the person to allow the person to move the person'"'"'s head and hence said device and to see the information displayed to allow the person to progressively move said device and hence the person'"'"'s head to positions to follow said path.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said device displays said path when said device is moved to said positions.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said device comprises:

a housing having located therein an inner member supported such that said inner member and said housing can move relative to each other,

said coupling means being adapted to couple said housing to a person'"'"'s head for movement with the person'"'"'s head,

said path being formed on said inner member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device comprises:

a hollow outer housing having a sighting mark thereon,

said outer housing being transparent at least in the area of said sighting mark,

an inner member and a liquid located in said outer housing with said liquid supporting said inner member such that said inner member and outer housing can move relative to each other,

a support means having first and second opposite ends,

said second end of said support means being coupled to said outer housing such that said sighting mark can be seen from said first end of said support means,

a weight coupled to said inner member for maintaining an axis of said inner member in a vertical position,

an inner member magnet fixedly coupled to said inner member for maintaining said inner member in alignment with a given direction,

said inner member has an outer surface,

said path is formed on said outer surface of said inner member to allow a person to move his or her head to a plurality of spatial positions to progressively locate said sighting mark next to said path for viewing by the person.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:

said path comprises a starting point and an ending point located about 180 degrees apart when viewed from a given position,

said coupling means is adapted to couple said first end of said support means to a person'"'"'s head and next to one eye such that the person can see said sighting mark of said outer housing.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

said path comprises at least first, second, and third indicia,

said first and second indicia being located about 90 degrees apart relative to a central position of said inner member and said second and third indicia being located about 90 degrees apart relative to said central position of said inner member,

said first and second indicia being located in a first plane which forms an angle of about 20 degrees relative to a bisecting plane as measured relative to the said central position of said inner member,

said third indicia being located in a second plane which forms an angle of about 20 degrees relative to said bisecting plane as measured from the said central position of said inner member.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

said path comprises a starting point and an ending point located about 270 degrees apart when viewed from a given position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

said path comprises first, second, third, and fourth indicia,

said first and second indicia being located about 90 degrees apart relative to a central position of said inner member,

said second and third indicia being located about 90 degrees apart relative to a central position of said inner member,

said third and fourth indicia being located about 90 degrees apart relative to a central position of said inner member,

said first and third indicia being located in a bisecting plane,

said second indicia being located in a plane which forms an angle of about 25 degrees relative to said bisecting plane as measured from a central position of said inner member,

said fourth indicia being located in a plane which forms an angle of about 25 degrees relative to said bisecting plane as measured from a central position of said inner member.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising:

a support means magnet coupled to said support means for controlling said inner member magnet coupled to said inner member when said support means magnet and said inner member magnet are aligned in given positions.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said path generally defines a plane extending through said inner member,

said inner member magnet has a main axis which extends through said plane.

11. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein:

said path generally defines a plane extending through said inner member.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

said path generally defines a plane extending through said inner member.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device comprises:

a hollow outer housing having a sighting mark thereon,

said outer housing being transparent at least in the area of said sighting mark,

an inner member and a liquid located in said outer housing with said liquid supporting said inner member such that said inner member and outer housing can move relative to each other,

a support means having first and second opposite ends,

said second end of said support means being coupled to said outer housing such that said sighting mark can be seen from said first end of said support means,

a weight coupled to said inner member for maintaining an axis of said inner member in a vertical position,

said inner member has a rod extending along a radial line from said inner member,

said outer housing comprises a wall having a narrow opening formed there through defining a relatively small arc having two spaced apart ends and which are defined by two lines extending from a central position of said outer housing in a plane perpendicular to an axis extending through said central position of said outer housing,

said rod extends through said narrow opening,

said rod is about perpendicular to said axis, and

said narrow opening allows said inner member to rotate about said axis only between said two spaced apart ends of said narrow opening,

said inner member has an outer surface,

said path is formed on said outer surface of said inner member to allow a person to move his or her head to a plurality of spatial positions to progressively locate said sighting mark next to said path for viewing by the person.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

said path comprises a starting point and an ending point located about 180 degrees apart when viewed from a given position,

said coupling means is adapted to couple said first end of said support means to a person'"'"'s head and next to one eye such that the person can see said sighting mark of said outer housing.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

said path comprises a starting point and an ending point located about 270 degrees apart when viewed from a given position.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein:

said path generally defines a plane extending though said inner member,

said rod has a main axis that extends through said plane.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device comprises;

a hollow housing comprising a wall having a sighting mark thereon,

said housing being transparent at least in the area of said sighting mark,

a support means having first and second opposite ends,

said second end of said support means being coupled to said housing such that said sighting mark can be seen from said first end of said support means,

a path formed on said wall of said housing sufficient to be seen by the person by way of said sighting mark,

an indicator coupled to the interior of said housing by way of a flexible suspension member in a position to allow said indicator to follow said path as said housing is moved to different positions,

said indicator being viewable by a person by way of said sighting mark.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device comprises:

a transparent tubular member formed in the shape of a toroid,

a plurality of small particles located in said tubular member for movement in said tubular member,

a support means having first and second opposite ends with a visual path between said first and second ends,

said tubular member being coupled to said support means near said second end,

said coupling means being adapted to couple said first end of said support means to a person'"'"'s head and next to one eye such that the person can see said tubular member and said particles.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein:

said tubular member is located in a plane in said support means about 45 degrees relative to an axis extending between said first and second opposite ends of said support means.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said device comprises:

a hollow transparent sphere having said path formed on the inside thereof with a pair of ridges formed on opposite sides of said path,

a ball located inside of said sphere for rolling along said path between said pair of ridges,

said path having an entrance at one end for said ball to enter said path and an exit at an opposite end for said ball to exit said path,

a support means having first and second opposite ends and providing a visual path between said first and second ends,

said sphere being coupled to said second end of said support means

said coupling means being adapted to couple said first end of said support means to a person'"'"'s head and next to one eye such that the person can see said sphere, said path and said ball.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said device comprises sensing means for obtaining measurements which are a function of the orientation of said sensing means in the earth'"'"'s gravity field when said sensing means is moved to said spatial positions to follow said path,

means for defining said path for the person'"'"'s head to follow when said device is coupled to the person'"'"'s head,

means for converting said measurements into data representative of the angular position of said sensing means,

path determining means for determining if said sensing means is in said path when said device is coupled to the person'"'"'s head,

said path determining means comprises light means for providing an indication to the person if the person'"'"'s head is following said path.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said device comprises:

a hollow outer housing having a sighting mark thereon,

an inner member and a liquid located in said outer housing with said liquid supporting said inner member such that said inner member and outer housing can move relative to each other,

a support means comprising first and second ends,

said second end of said support means being coupled to said outer housing such that said sighting mark can be seen from said first end of said support means,

said path being formed on said inner member,

said outer housing being moveable relative to said inner member to allow a person to move his or her head to a plurality of spatial positions to progressively locate said sighting mark next to said path for viewing by the person.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said sighting mark is defined as a user sighting mark,

an observer sighting mark formed on said outer housing and spaced from said user sighting mark,

said path comprises at least one user indicia located to be seen by a person using said apparatus when said user sighting mark is located next to said user indicia,

an observer indicia formed on said outer surface of said inner member spaced from said user indicia and located to be seen by an observer by way of said observer sighting mark when said user sighting mark is located next to said user indicia.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein:

said sighting mark is defined as a user sighting mark,

said path comprises a plurality of spaced apart user indicia located to be seen by a person using said apparatus by way of said user sighting mark when said user sighting mark is located next to each of said user indicia,

a plurality spaced apart observer sighting marks formed on said outer housing

an observer indicia formed on said inner member at a position spaced from said plurality of user indicia such that each of said plurality of observer sighting marks will be located separately next to said observer indicia when said user sighting mark is located next to one of each of said user indicia.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein:

said sighting mark is defined as a user sighting mark

said path comprises at least first, second and third user indicia located to be seen separately by a person using said apparatus by way of said user sighting mark when said user sighting mark is located next to each of said user indicia,

said first and second indicia being located about 90 degrees apart relative to a central position of said inner member and said second and third indicia being located about 90 degrees apart relative to said central position of said inner member,

said first and second indicia being located in a first plane which forms an angle of about 20 degrees relative to one side of a bisecting plane as measured relative to said central position of said inner member,

said third indicia being located in a second plane which forms an angle of about 20 degrees relative to a side opposite said one side of said bisecting plane as measured from said central position of said inner member

a fourth indicia formed on said inner member and which is located in said second plane about 90 degrees from said second indicia,

at least three observer sighting marks formed on said outer housing at positions to be located separately next to said fourth indicia when said user sighting mark is located next to one of each of said user indicia.

22. A method of allowing a person to treat benign paroxysmal positional vertigo employing a device sensitive to different spatial positions for displaying information representative of a given path when said device is moved to said spatial positions, comprising the steps of:

coupling said device to the person'"'"'s head next to an eye of the person for movement with the person'"'"'s head and to enable the person to see the information displayed,

said person carries out the following steps;

moving said device by moving the person'"'"'s head to said positions,

viewing the information displayed, and

based on the information displayed, progressively locating said device by way of movement of the person'"'"'s head to said spatial positions to allow the person to see and follow said path with the person'"'"'s eye.

23. An apparatus for use for treating benign paroxprical positional vertigo in a person, comprising:

sensing means sensitive to different spatial positions for producing electrical signals which are a function of the spatial position of said sensing means,

coupling means for coupling said sensing means to a person'"'"'s head to allow the person to move said sensing means to follow a given path, and

a display means responsive to said electrical signals for displaying information for use for guiding the person to follow said path with the person'"'"'s head.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

said sensing means is characterized in that it can obtain measurements which are a function of the orientation of said sensing means in the earth'"'"'s gravity field when said sensing means is moved to different spatial positions to follow said path,

means for defining said path for the person'"'"'s head to follow when said device is coupled to the person'"'"'s head,

means for converting said electrical signals into data representative of the angular position of said sensing means,

said display means comprises light means, and

means responsive to said data for controlling said light means for providing an indication to the person as to whether the person'"'"'s head is following said path.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

said coupling means couples said sensing means and said display means to a person'"'"'s head for movement with the person'"'"'s head with said display means being located to allow the person to see said display means as the person moves the person'"'"'s head to follow said path.

33. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

said coupling means comprises support means for coupling said display means to the persons head at a position to be viewed by the person to allow the person to follow said path with the persons head.

34. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

said display means is locatable at a stationary position spaced from said sensing means for allowing an observer to monitor the displayed information to help guide the person in following said path with the person'"'"'s head.

35. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

said display means comprises a user'"'"'s display means and an observer display means for displaying the same information,

said coupling means comprises support means for coupling said user display means to the person'"'"'s head at a position to be viewed by the person to allow the person to follow said path with the person'"'"'s head,

said observer display means is locatable at a stationary position spaced from said sensing means for allowing an observer to monitor the displayed information to help guide the person in following said path with the person'"'"'s head.

30. An apparatus for use for treating benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in a person, comprising:

a hollow outer housing having a sighting mark thereon,

an inner member and liquid located in said outer housing with said liquid supporting said inner member such that said outer housing can move relative to said inner member,

a path formed on said inner member,

a support means having first and second opposite ends,

said second end of said support means being coupled to said outer housing such that said sighting mark can be seen from said first end of said support means,

means for coupling said first end of said support means to a person'"'"'s head next to an eye of the person to allow the person to see said sighting mark and said path and to move the person'"'"'s head and hence said outer housing to allow the person to follow said path with the person'"'"'s head.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, comprising:

an observer'"'"'s indicia formed on said inner member,

a plurality of spaced apart observer sighting marks formed on said outer housing for viewing said observer'"'"'s indicia as said outer housing moves relative to said inner member,

said first end of said support means, when coupled to a persons head, couples said support means and hence said outer housing to a person'"'"'s head to allow the person to move the person'"'"'s head and hence said outer housing relative to said inner member to allow an observer to coach the person in the person'"'"'s head movement to allow said observer'"'"'s indicia to be seen by an observer by way of each of said plurality of observer sighting marks.

32. An apparatus for use for treating benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in a person, comprising:

a hollow outer housing having a user sighting mark thereon,

said outer housing being transparent at least in the area of said user sighting mark,

an inner member and a liquid located in said outer housing with said liquid supporting said inner member such that said outer housing can move relative to said inner member,

a path formed on said inner member,

a support means having first and second opposite ends

said second end of said support means being coupled to said outer housing such that said user sighting mark can be seen from said first end of said support means,

means for coupling said support means to be a person'"'"'s head next to an eye of the person to allow the person to see said user sighting mark and said path and to move the persons head and hence said outer housing to allow the person to follow said path with the persons head.

36. An apparatus for use for diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in a person, comprising:

a hollow outer housing having a sighting mark thereon,

an inner member and a liquid located in said outer housing with said liquid supporting said inner member such that said outer housing can move relative said inner member,

a left indicia and a right indicia formed on said inner member at spaced apart positions,

a support means having first and second opposite ends,

said second end of said support means being coupled to said outer housing such that said sighting mark can be seen from said first end of said support means,

means for coupling said support means to a person'"'"'s head next to an eye of the person to allow the person to see said sighting mark and to move said outer housing with the persons head to allow the person to see each of said indicia at different positions of the person'"'"'s head.

37. An apparatus for use for diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in a person, comprising:

a hollow outer housing having a user sighting mark thereon,

an inner member and a liquid located in said outer housing with said liquid supporting said inner member such that said outer housing can move relative to said inner member,

a left user indicia and a right user indicia formed on inner member,

a support means having first and second opposite ends,

said second end of said support means being coupled to said outer housing such that said user sighting mark can be seen from said first end of said support means,

means for coupling said support means to a person'"'"'s head next to an eye of the person to allow the person to see said user sighting mark and to move said outer housing with the person'"'"'s head to allow the person to see each of said left and right user indicia at different positions of the person'"'"'s head,

an observer indicia formed on said inner housing spaced from said left user indicia and said right user indicia,

a left observer sighting mark formed on said outer housing for allowing an observer to observe said observer indicia when the person sees said left user indicia,

a right observer sighting mark formed on said outer housing for allowing an observer to observe said observer indicia when the person sees said right user indicia.

38. An apparatus for use for diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in a person, comprising:

a hollow outer housing,

an inner member and a liquid located in said outer housing with said liquid supporting said inner member such that said outer housing can move relative to said inner housing,

an observer indicia formed on said inner member,

means for coupling said outer housing to a person'"'"'s head for movement when the person'"'"'s head,

a left observer sighting mark formed said outer housing for allowing an observer to observe said observer indicia when the person'"'"'s head is moved to a first position,

a right observer sighting mark formed on said outer housing for allowing an observer to observe said observer indicia when the persons head is moved to a second position different from said first position.

39. An apparatus for use for treating benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in a person, comprising:

a device sensitive to different spatial positions for displaying information sufficient to allow the person to follow a given path with the person'"'"'s head when said device is coupled to the person'"'"'s head, and

means for allowing the person to see the information displayed to allow the person to progressively move said device and hence the person'"'"'s head to positions to follow said path.