Device and Method for Treating a Patient with Vibration, Tactile, and/or Thermal Stimuli

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This patent describes a device and method for non-invasive treatment of neurological, pain, or other disorders by applying controlled vibration, tactile, and/or thermal stimuli to a patient's skin. Multiple stimulation units, each capable of generating different types of stimuli (vibrations, touch, or temperature changes), are placed on various parts of the patient's body and operate in coordinated or staggered timing. The system can be operated in open- or closed-loop modes, potentially using real-time sensor feedback (e.g. EEG) to tailor the stimulation. The goal is to disrupt pathologically synchronized neuronal activity in the brain or spinal cord, promoting desynchronization and therapeutic effects in conditions characterized by abnormal neural synchrony.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Treatment of neurological movement disorders like Parkinson's disease, dystonia, and essential tremor.
• Alleviation of neuropathic pain, chronic pain syndromes, and post-amputation pain.
• Treatment of migraine and tension headaches.
• Facilitation of motor function recovery after stroke or brain injury.
• Management of spasticity and muscle dysfunction.
• Relief of symptoms in gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, colitis ulcerosa, and Crohn's disease.
• Adjunctive treatment for asthma, cardiac ischemias, and peripheral vascular disease.
• Non-pharmacological therapy option for patients intolerant to medication or at risk from invasive procedures.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Provides a non-invasive alternative to pharmaceutical and invasive neuromodulation therapies (such as deep brain stimulation).
• Lower risk of serious complications compared to stereotactic brain implants.
• Enables targeted and flexible stimulation, with the potential to individualize therapy through timing, location, and type of stimulus.
• Allows closed-loop feedback for adaptive, demand-driven treatment based on real-time patient signals.
• Potential to produce long-lasting therapeutic effects by promoting neural network reorganization and lasting desynchronization.
• Applicability to a wide range of diseases associated with pathological neural synchrony.
• Modular and wearable design for comfort, ease of use, and integration into daily life.
• Decreases reliance on drugs with limited long-term effectiveness or problematic side effects.

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Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a device (100) for treating a patient with vibration and/or tactile and/or thermal stimuli (20), said device (100) containing a first and second stimulating unit (11, 12) for generating first and second stimuli respectively. The stimuli are vibration and/or tactile and/or thermal stimuli, and each of the stimuli is repeated on average at a frequency of 1 to 60 Hz. The stimuli are generated at at least partly different times.