Non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation to treat disorders
First Claim
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1. A method of treating a disorder in a patient, the method comprising:
- positioning a device adjacent to a skin surface of the patient;
generating, via the device, a signal comprising one or more electrical impulses; and
transmitting, via the device, the one or more electrical impulses to a nerve in the patient, wherein the one or more electrical impulses comprises bursts of pulses with a silent inter-burst interval between each of the bursts, wherein each of the bursts and the silent inter-burst interval repeats from about 3 Hz to about 100 Hz, wherein each of the pulses has a duration from about 50 microseconds to about 1000 microseconds, wherein each of the bursts comprises from about 2 pulses to about 20 pulses.
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Abstract
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for treating a variety of diseases and disorders that are primarily or at least partially driven by an imbalance in neurotransmitters in the brain, such as asthma, COPD, depression, anxiety, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, and the like. The invention involves the use of an energy source comprising magnetic and/or electrical energy that is transmitted non-invasively to, or in close proximity to, a selected nerve to temporarily stimulate, block and/or modulate the signals in the selected nerve such that neural pathways are activated to release inhibitory neurotransmitters in the patient'"'"'s brain.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of treating a disorder in a patient, the method comprising:
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positioning a device adjacent to a skin surface of the patient; generating, via the device, a signal comprising one or more electrical impulses; and transmitting, via the device, the one or more electrical impulses to a nerve in the patient, wherein the one or more electrical impulses comprises bursts of pulses with a silent inter-burst interval between each of the bursts, wherein each of the bursts and the silent inter-burst interval repeats from about 3 Hz to about 100 Hz, wherein each of the pulses has a duration from about 50 microseconds to about 1000 microseconds, wherein each of the bursts comprises from about 2 pulses to about 20 pulses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A device for treating a disorder in a patient, the device comprising:
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a housing comprising a contact surface configured to contact an outer skin surface of the patient; and an energy source coupled to the housing, wherein the energy source is configured to transmit an electric current through the outer skin surface of the patient to a nerve within the patient, wherein the electric current comprises a signal comprising bursts of pulses with a silent inter-burst interval between each of the bursts, wherein each of the bursts and the silent inter-burst interval repeats from about 3 Hz to about 100 Hz, wherein each of the pulses has a duration from about 50 microseconds to about 1000 microseconds, wherein each of the bursts comprises from about 2 pulses to about 20 pulses. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification