Method for administering a pulse-like wave to a patient for pain therapy and/or for influencing the autonomic nervous system

• US 6,068,596 A
• Filed: 10/08/1997
• Issued: 05/30/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gosbert Weth, Gunter Wilhelm
• Original Assignee: Gosbert Weth, Gunter Wilhelm
• Inventors: Weth, Gosbert, Wilhelm, Gunter
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHAETZLE, KENNEDY
• Application Number:
  US08/946,721
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 607/1-3, 607/46, 607/72, 607/73, 601/2, 601/15, 601/107, 601/108, 128/898, 600/437, 600/439, 600/9, 600/14, 600/10, 600/472
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2023/002 having a percussion element combined with a passive spacer element for bearing against the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/008 using shock waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0218 with alternating magnetic fields producing a translating or oscillating movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 39/04 Devices for pressing such points, e.g. Shiatsu or AcupressureMassage or pressure on general areas A61H9/00 - A61H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/00 Pneumatic or hydraulic massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0071 by localized pressure, e.g. air streams or jets
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3621 for treating or preventing abnormally high heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/02 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

In an apparatus and a method for pain therapy and/or for influencing the autonomic nervous system, at least one pulse-like wave is conducted onto a neurally sensitive region with an apparatus, namely a source of pulse-like waves the region participating in the conduction with respect to the pain or with respect to the region of the autonomic nervous system to be influenced.

Claims

1. A method for medical therapy comprising the steps of:

selecting a neurally sensitive body region of a subject, said neurally sensitive body region comprising a nerve center; and

producing at least one focused pressure pulse using an electromagnetic pressure pulse source and non-destructively charging said neurally sensitive body region with said at least one focused pressure pulse for effecting a therapeutical effect of the group consisting of at least alleviating pain in a region within the body of said subject associated by transmission of stimuli with said neurally sensitive body region and influencing a part of the autonomic nervous system of said subject associated by transmission of stimuli with said neurally sensitive body region.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of charging said neurally sensitive body region with at least one pressure pulse wave comprises charging said neurally sensitive body region with at least one pressure pulse having a duration not significantly exceeding 100 ms.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of charging said neurally sensitive body region with a pressure pulse comprises charging said neurally sensitive body region with an acoustic shock wave produced by said electromagnetic pressure pulse source.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising the additional step of identifying a site of said pathological condition in the body of said subject, and wherein the step of selecting said body region comprises selecting a neurally sensitive region of said body remote from said site.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of selecting said neurally sensitive body region comprises selecting a neurally sensitive region close to a transverse process of the first cervical vertebra of said subject.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the step of selecting a neurally sensitive body region close to a transverse process of the first cervical vertebra comprises selecting the ganglion cervical superior.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of selecting a neurally sensitive body region comprises selecting a ganglion as said neurally sensitive body region.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the step of selecting a ganglion comprises selecting a ganglion from the group consisting of the ganglion coelicum, ganglion cervical superior, ganglion pelvinum and ganglion sacrale.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of charging said neurally sensitive body region with at least one pressure pulse comprises charging said neurally sensitive body region with a plurality of pressure pulses, and comprising the additional step of maintaining a minimum chronological spacing between successive ones of said pressure pulses of several minutes.