Methods and apparatus for relieving headaches, rhinitis and other common ailments
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for delivering a therapeutic gas to a person having a nasal cavity lined with a mucous membrane, said method comprising:
- generating a flow of a therapeutic gas; and
infusing the nasal cavity to contact the mucous membrane with the flow of therapeutic gas while the person refrains from inhaling the therapeutic gas in order to maintain the concentration of the therapeutic gas in the nasal cavity, wherein the therapeutic gas is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, helium, dilute mixtures of nitric oxide, and isocapnic mixtures of acid gases, and wherein the infused therapeutic gas passes out of the nasal cavity through the nose or mouth without entering the lungs.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus, methods, and kits for treating symptoms associated with common ailments, such as headaches, rhinitis, asthma, epilepsy, nervous disorders and the like, are provided. The apparatus comprises dispensers for carbon dioxide and other therapeutic gases. The methods comprise delivering small volumes of these gases to patients in a manner where the gas infuses a body region in order to bathe the mucous membranes therein. It has been found that even very short exposure of patients to small volumes and high concentrations of such gases can provide significant relief from symptoms.
-
Citations
35 Claims
-
1. A method for delivering a therapeutic gas to a person having a nasal cavity lined with a mucous membrane, said method comprising:
-
generating a flow of a therapeutic gas; and infusing the nasal cavity to contact the mucous membrane with the flow of therapeutic gas while the person refrains from inhaling the therapeutic gas in order to maintain the concentration of the therapeutic gas in the nasal cavity, wherein the therapeutic gas is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, helium, dilute mixtures of nitric oxide, and isocapnic mixtures of acid gases, and wherein the infused therapeutic gas passes out of the nasal cavity through the nose or mouth without entering the lungs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 34, 35)
-
-
19. A method for generating a therapeutic dosage of gas and delivering said gas to a patient having a nasal cavity, said method comprising:
releasing from a hand-held dispenser a flow of treatment gas in the range from 0.5 cc/sec to 20 cc/sec to the nasal cavity, wherein the treatment gas comprises a therapeutic gas selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, nitric oxide, helium, dilute mixtures of nitric oxide, and isocapnic mixtures of acid gases and wherein the patient refrains from breathing the therapeutic gas while the flow enters the nasal cavity in order to maintain the concentration of the treatment gas, and wherein the infused therapeutic gas passes out of the nasal cavity through the nose or mouth without entering the lungs. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
31. A method for delivering a therapeutic gas to a breathing person having a nasal cavity lined with a mucous membrane, a trachea and a lung, said method comprising:
-
generating a flow of a therapeutic gas; and infusing the nasal cavity to contact the mucous membrane with the flow of therapeutic gas while the person substantially inhibits passage of the therapeutic gas into the trachea and the lung by limiting inhalation of the therapeutic gas to maintain the concentration of the therapeutic gas in the nasal cavity, and wherein the infused therapeutic gas passes out of the nasal cavity through the nose or mouth without entering the lungs. - View Dependent Claims (32)
-
-
33. A method for delivering a therapeutic gas to a breathing person having a nasal cavity lined with a mucous membrane, said method comprising:
-
generating a flow of a therapeutic gas; and infusing the nasal cavity to contact the mucous membrane with the flow of therapeutic gas, while the person adjusts his breathing pattern to refrain from inhaling the therapeutic gas in order to maintain the concentration of the therapeutic gas in the nasal cavity, and wherein the infused therapeutic gas passes out of the nasal cavity through the nose or mouth without entering the lungs.
-
Specification