Gravitational sensitivity disorder treatment device

Abstract

To provide an apparatus capable of appropriately treating the gravity perception disturbance.SOLUTION: A gravity perception disturbance treatment apparatus comprises a headset 100 and a controller 200. The headset 100 includes a main frame 110 with flexibility, being worn on a head of a subject, a head inclination sensor 120, a control section 130, a transducer arm 140, and a transducer 150 for applying vibration stimulation to the corner of mouth of the subject. The controller 200 includes a processor 210 and an input part 220. The headset 100 and the controller 200 are wirelessly connected. This treatment apparatus treats the gravity perception disturbance by feeding back head inclination information detected by the head inclination sensor 120 to the corner of mouth of the subject as vibration stimulation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for treating gravity sensitivity disorder, which is believed to be one of the causes of intractable dizziness. [Background technology]

[0002] There is intractable dizziness, which cannot be detected by existing clinical tests and does not improve with conventional dizziness treatments. Therefore, intractable dizziness continues for a long time and with aging, causing various problems such as increased anxiety in patients, decreased activity, increased risk of falling, decreased quality of life, shortened healthy life expectancy, increased medical expenses, and increased burden on families, medical care, and society.

[0003] Since many intractable dizziness sufferers complain of a lightheaded or floating sensation (Non-Patent Document 1), the present inventor believes that one of the causes is impaired gravity sensitivity, and has proposed a head tilt SVV test method (Patent Document 1) and its diagnostic support method (Patent Document 2) as a method for testing the function of the otolith organs that sense gravity. In this method, head tilt sensation Y, which is the difference between head tilt angle X and subjective visual vertical A, is calculated, and the data is plotted with head tilt angle X as the horizontal coordinate and head tilt sensation Y as the vertical coordinate to obtain an approximate straight line, and the slope of the straight line is defined as Z, which is the head tilt sensation gain. If head tilt sensation gain Z is 1.25 or more or 0.80 or less, it is determined that the subject has an abnormality in the otolith organs, i.e., impaired gravity sensitivity.

[0004] Currently, oral medications such as antivertigo drugs, antihistamines, sedatives, antiemetics, and inner ear circulation improvers are widely used to treat intractable dizziness, but all of these are merely symptomatic treatments. Furthermore, balance training aimed at promoting vestibular function is strongly recommended, but it requires long-term efforts and may be counterproductive in situations where vestibular function is enhanced. In addition, a balance substitute system (Brainport Balance Device: BBD) has been proposed as a treatment based on gravity sensitivity disorders (Non-Patent Document 2). The BBD is a device that substitutes the function of the otolith organs, which are gravity sensors, by electrically stimulating head tilt information via an electrode array placed on the tongue. However, the BBD has problems with invasiveness due to the electrical stimulation of the tongue and hygiene due to the placement of an electrode array in the oral cavity. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6105383 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6482583 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] Meniere's disease with unremitting floating sensation is associated with canal paresis, gravity sensitive dysfunction, mental illness and bilaterality Auris Nasus Larynx 2019;46(2):186-192. [Non-Patent Document 2] Neurogenesis in the cochlear nucleus following hearing loss :potential implications for tinnitus treatment, Equilibrium Res Vol. 68(5) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and has an object to provide a device for appropriately treating gravity sensitivity disorder, which is one of the causes of intractable dizziness. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The gravitational sensitivity disorder treatment device (900) according to the present invention is a gravitational sensitivity disorder treatment device (900) including a headset (100) and a controller (200), the headset (100) being a substantially arc-shaped plate of a predetermined width bent, the headset having a flexible main frame (110) to be worn on the head of a subject, a head tilt sensor (120) for detecting tilt from the direction of gravity as head tilt information, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped control unit (130) for feeding back the head tilt information to the subject, a transducer arm (140) having a substantially U-shaped bearing portion on one end side, and a pair of substantially drum-shaped transducers (150) for contacting corners of the mouth of the subject to apply vibration stimulation to the corners of the mouth of the subject, the transducer (150) being rotatably attached to the substantially U-shaped bearing portion (141) of the transducer arm (140), and the transducer arm (130) having a substantially U-shaped bearing portion (141) and a controller (200) for controlling the head tilt information to the subject. the head tilt sensor (120) has its other end (142) rotatably attached to one end (131) of the control unit (130), and the control unit (130) has its other end (132) rotatably attached to the approximately arc-shaped tip portion (111) of the main frame (110); the controller (200) has a processor (210) that receives head tilt information detected by the head tilt sensor (120) and transmits an electrical signal to the control unit (130) for feeding back the head tilt information to the subject, and an input unit (220) that inputs information about the vibration stimulation intensity of the vibrator (150); the headset (100) and the controller (200) are wirelessly connected; and the head tilt information detected by the head tilt sensor (120) is fed back as a vibration stimulation to the corners of the mouth of the subject, thereby treating gravity sensitivity disorder. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, gravity sensitivity disorders can be appropriately treated. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a gravitational sensitivity disorder treatment device according to the present invention. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a side view of the headset. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a top view of the headset. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a partially exploded view of the headset. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a photograph of a device for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders according to the present invention. [Figure 6] These figures show the effects of treatment for gravitational sensitivity disorder, in which (A) shows that the difference between the left and right sides of gravitational sensitivity has become smaller, and the patient's gravitational sensitivity has been normalized, and (B) shows that excessive gravitational sensitivity has become smaller, and the patient's gravitational sensitivity has been normalized. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the embodiment is intended to facilitate understanding of the principles of the present invention, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described below. Other embodiments in which a person skilled in the art appropriately replaces the configuration of the embodiment described below are also included in the scope of the present invention.

[0012] 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of a gravitational sensitivity disorder treatment device 900 according to the present invention. The gravitational sensitivity disorder treatment device 900 according to the present invention includes a headset 100 and a controller 200, as shown in FIG.

[0013] Gravity Perception Disturbance (GPD) is a disorder of the ability to sense gravity, which is one of the causes of dizziness and balance disorders. The device for treating GPD in accordance with the present invention is a device that optimizes gravity perception by transmitting correct gravity information to the body when the head is held upright and tilted to the left and right through sensory inputs other than those from the otolith organs.

[0014] Figure 2 is a side view of headset 100. Figure 3 is a top view of headset 100. Figure 4 is a partially exploded view of headset 100.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the headset 100 includes a main frame 110, a head tilt sensor 120, a control unit 130, a transducer arm 140, and a transducer 150.

[0016] The main frame 110 is a generally arc-shaped flexible plate of a given width that is bent, and is attached closely to the subject's head. The method of attaching the main frame 110 to the subject's head is not particularly limited, and examples include a headband type in which the head tilt sensor 120 is positioned near the top of the subject's head, and an ear-hanging type in which the head tilt sensor 120 is positioned near the back of the subject's head.

[0017] The head tilt sensor 120 is provided at the center of the approximately arc-shaped main frame 110. The head tilt sensor 120 feeds back head tilt information to the subject. The head tilt sensor 120 is protected by a tilt sensor cover so that the tilt sensor body 121 is protected from external impact. The head tilt sensor 120 detects a displacement from the direction of gravity (vertical direction) when the subject's head is tilted, for example, to the left or right. The configuration of the head tilt sensor 120 is not particularly limited as long as it can detect a displacement from the direction of gravity. For example, the head tilt sensor 120 has a piezoelectric element, and the piezoelectric element can have an upper electrode formed on the upper surface of the piezoelectric thin film and a lower electrode formed on the lower surface of the piezoelectric thin film. The sensor wiring drawn from the upper electrode and the lower electrode of the piezoelectric element is wired to the power supply unit 137 provided in the control unit 130. For example, the head tilt sensor 120 can also have an accelerometer and detect a gravitational acceleration vector corresponding to a displacement from the direction of gravity.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 130 has a control unit case 135, a control unit case lid 136, a control board 134, and a power supply unit 137. The control unit case 135 is substantially rectangular parallelepiped in shape, and the control board 134 and the power supply unit 137 are housed therein, and are covered and sealed with the control unit case lid 136. In FIG. 4, the control board 134 is mounted on only one side of the control unit 130, and the power supply unit 137 is mounted on only the other side, but this is only because the power supply unit 137 is omitted on the other side for the sake of simplicity of the figure, and the power supply unit 137 is omitted on one side. The power supply unit 137 supplies power to the control board 134, and the control unit LED (not shown) indicates the operating state by turning on and off the light. It is also possible for the control unit 130 to have a different structure on the right side of the figure and the left side of the figure. For example, the control unit 130 on the right side of the drawing may have a built-in processor, a function of receiving and holding parameters of head tilt angle and stimulation intensity from the controller 200, a function of stimulating the left and right transducers 150 individually according to the parameters, and a function of transmitting the head tilt angle and stimulation intensity value during treatment to the controller 200. The control unit 130 on the left side of the drawing may have a function of controlling battery charging and voltage stabilization. As a result, the control unit 130 on the right side of the drawing receives and holds the parameters of the head tilt angle and stimulation intensity set by the controller 200, controls the stimulation of the left and right transducers 150 individually according to the parameters, and simultaneously transmits the head tilt angle and stimulation intensity value to the controller 200. The controller 200 visualizes the received head tilt angle and stimulation intensity value by displaying them. The doctor examines the head tilt angle and stimulation intensity value visualized by the controller 200 and the patient's condition, tries multiple combinations of head tilt angle and stimulation intensity value, and sets appropriate parameters for each patient. The transducer arm 140 has a bearing part 141 in a substantially U-shape on one end side. Bearing portion 141 is provided with bearing recesses facing the inner surface of the U-shaped tip portion. The shape of bearing portion 141 is not limited to that shown in Fig. 4, and any shape can be used as long as the tip portion is bifurcated and has bearing recesses facing the inner surface.

[0019] The transducer 150 is roughly drum-shaped and contacts the corners of the subject's mouth to provide vibration stimulation to the corners of the subject's mouth. As the otolith sensation is a primitive sensation, vibration stimulation, which is the same primitive sensation, was used instead of a higher sense such as vision or hearing.

[0020] A support shaft is fixed to the transducer 150, and the support shaft is rotatably supported in a bearing recess of the transducer arm 140. As a result, the transducer 150 is rotatably attached to the approximately U-shaped bearing portion 141 of the transducer arm 140, and the transducer 150 can appropriately contact the corners of the subject's mouth even if the subject's face moves slightly. Areas highly sensitive to vibration include the tongue, fingertips, corners of the mouth, etc., but the tongue is invasive and has problems in terms of hygiene, and the fingertips make it difficult to distinguish between left and right when the arms are crossed, so the corners of the mouth are selected as the area to transmit the vibration.

[0021] The vibrator 150 has a vibration generating unit electrically connected to the control board 134 of the control unit 130, and a vibration covering unit that covers the vibration generating unit and comes into contact with the corners of the mouth of the subject. The vibration covering unit is made of a material such as polyurethane that protects the vibration generating unit from external shocks and can effectively transmit the vibrations generated by the vibration generating unit to the corners of the mouth of the subject.

[0022] The frequency of the vibration stimulus applied to the corners of the mouth of the subject by the vibrator 150 is not particularly limited, but a lower frequency is preferable because it has higher sensitivity. Specifically, for example, it is 100Hz to 200Hz, preferably 120Hz to 180Hz, more preferably 150Hz to 170Hz, and most preferably 160Hz.

[0023] A bolt hole is drilled in the other end 142 of the transducer arm 140, and a bolt hole is also drilled in one end 131 of the control unit 130. A first bolt is attached to the bolt hole in the other end 142 of the transducer arm 140, and a nut that screws onto the first bolt is attached to one end 131 of the control unit 130. In this way, the other end 142 of the transducer arm 140 is rotatably attached to the one end 131 of the control unit 130.

[0024] A bolt hole is drilled in the other end 132 of the control unit 130, and a bolt hole is also drilled in the approximately arc-shaped tip portion 111 of the main frame 110. A second bolt is attached to the approximately arc-shaped tip portion 111 of the main frame 110, and a nut that screws onto the second bolt is attached to the other end 132 of the control unit 130. In this way, the other end 132 of the control unit 130 is attached to the approximately arc-shaped tip portion 111 of the main frame 110 so as to be freely rotatable.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the controller 200 has a processor 210 and an input unit 220. The headset 100 and the controller 200 are connected wirelessly. Because they are connected wirelessly, the controller 200 is technically and economically superior to conventional treatment methods and devices in terms of excellent wearability, low cost, and simplicity. In addition, because the headset 100 and the controller 200 are connected wirelessly, the controller 200 can be used separately, for example, with the controller 200 being used exclusively by the doctor and the headset 100 being used exclusively by the patient. After the doctor sets the head tilt angle and stimulation intensity parameters for the individual patient using the controller 200, the patient wears only the headset 100 and does not need to hold the controller 200, which allows the patient to more effectively undergo treatment while living their daily lives. Furthermore, because the headset 100 and the controller 200 are connected wirelessly, the present invention makes it possible to build a home medical support system using the Internet, and the doctor can operate the controller 200 to reset appropriate parameters while connecting the patient's home and the examination room via the Internet and examining the progress of treatment. The controller 200 can also have a data logger function, and is suitable for long-term follow-up observation by placing it at home. This information is not only useful for follow-up visits in the hospital, but also a valuable source of information for examinations and diagnoses over the Internet. Head tilt sensor 120 has a tilt angle signal transmitter that transmits a wireless signal related to the tilt angle from the direction of gravity, and a tilt angle signal receiver that receives the wireless signal related to the tilt angle from the tilt angle signal transmitter is provided inside processor 210 of controller 200.

[0026] Processor 210 receives head tilt information sensed by head tilt sensor 120 and transmits an electrical signal for feeding back the head tilt information to control unit 130. That is, processor 210 of controller 200 has therein a tilt intensity signal transmitting unit that transmits a wireless signal corresponding to the tilt angle, and control board 134 of control unit 130 has therein a tilt intensity signal receiving unit that receives the wireless signal corresponding to the tilt angle from the tilt intensity signal transmitting unit.

[0027] The control unit 130 transmits an electrical signal corresponding to the head tilt information sensed by the head tilt sensor 120 to the vibrator 150, and the vibrator 150 applies a vibration stimulus to the corners of the subject's mouth. That is, the greater the head tilt angle sensed by the head tilt sensor 120, the greater the vibration stimulus that the vibrator 150 applies to the corners of the subject's mouth. In this way, the head tilt information is appropriately fed back to the subject, and the gravitational sensitivity disorder is treated.

[0028] The gravity sensitivity disorder treatment device of the present invention has the effect of optimizing the gravity sensitivity of the subject; specifically, excessive gravity sensitivity can be normalized by reducing it, and excessive gravity sensitivity can also be normalized by increasing it, and further, it is possible to reduce the difference in gravity sensitivity between the left and right sides.

[0029] Furthermore, the therapeutic effect of the gravitational sensitivity disorder treatment device of the present invention is not only immediate immediately after the device is attached, but also has a long-lasting effect that continues for a long time even after the device is removed.

[0030] The controller 200 is provided with an input unit 220 for inputting information on the vibration stimulation intensity of the vibrator 150. Since the sensitivity of the corners of the mouth to vibration stimulation may differ for each subject even with the same head tilt information, the vibration stimulation intensity can be varied by this input unit 220. The controller 200 also includes a power supply unit, an LED unit, etc., which are not shown.

[0031] The subjects to which the gravitational sensitivity disorder treatment device of the present invention is applied include not only dizziness patients with impaired gravitational sensitivity, but also healthy people with gravitational sensitivity in the normal range. Therefore, the gravitational sensitivity disorder treatment device of the present invention is considered to be applicable not only to dizziness treatment but also to improving sports performance and extending healthy life expectancy.

[0032] When the gravity sensitivity disorder treatment device of the present invention is applied to a patient suffering from dizziness, the subject's disease may include, but is not limited to, Meniere's disease, peripheral vestibular disorder, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), vestibular neuritis, sudden hearing loss, orthostatic hypotension, acoustic neuroma, cholesteatoma otitis media, migraine-associated dizziness, psychogenic dizziness, or persistent sensory postural vertigo (PPPD). EXAMPLES

[0033] As shown in Figure 5, a treatment device for gravity sensitivity disorders was created. This treatment device for gravity sensitivity disorders can be called a Gravity Perception Adjustment Device (GPAD). Gravity sensitivity was measured before and after wearing the GPAD for 20 minutes using the head tilt SVV test method, and the effect of reducing the difference between the left and right sides of gravity sensitivity was evaluated. The head tilt SVV method is an evaluation method that calculates the head tilt perception gain (HTPG) from the subjective visual vertical (SVV) and head tilt angle during head roll tilt, and the standard value of the index of gravity sensitivity in the head tilt SVV method was determined from the measurement results of 434 healthy subjects. Figure 6 (A) shows an example of treatment for a patient with a difference between the left and right sides of gravity sensitivity. As shown in Figure 6 (A), when gravity sensitivity was measured before and after wearing the GPAD for 20 minutes using the head tilt SVV test, the difference between the left and right sides of gravity sensitivity, which had been different, became smaller, and the patient's gravity sensitivity was optimized. Figure 6 (B) shows an example of treatment for a patient with excessive gravity sensitivity. As shown in Figure 6(B), when gravitational sensitivity was measured before and after wearing the GPAD for 20 minutes using the head tilt SVV test, excessive gravitational sensitivity was reduced, and the patient's gravitational sensitivity was optimized. [Industrial Applicability]

[0034] It can be used for rehabilitation of balance disorders. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 100: Headset 111: Approximate arc tip 120: Head tilt sensor 130: Control unit 131:One end 132:Other end 134: Control board 135: Control unit case 136: Control unit case cover 137: Power supply section 140: Transducer arm 141: Bearing part 142:Other end 150: Transducer 200: Controller 210: Processor 220: Input section 900: Gravitational sensitivity disorder treatment device

Claims

1. A device for treating gravity-sensitive disorders (900) comprising a headset (100) and a controller (200), The headset (100) comprises: a main frame (110) having a flexibility and formed into a substantially arcuate shape by bending a plate-like object of a predetermined width, the main frame being fitted to the head of a subject; a head tilt sensor (120) that detects a tilt from the direction of gravity as head tilt information; A control unit (130) having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape that feeds back the head tilt information to the subject; A transducer arm (140) having a substantially U-shaped bearing portion on one end side; a pair of substantially drum-shaped vibrators (150) that contact the corners of the mouth of the subject to apply vibration stimulation to the corners of the mouth of the subject; The vibrator (150) is rotatably attached to the substantially U-shaped bearing portion (141) of the vibrator arm (140), The other end (142) of the transducer arm (140) is rotatably attached to one end (131) of the control unit (130), The control unit (130) has the other end (132) rotatably attached to the approximately arc-shaped tip portion (111) of the main frame (110), The controller (200) a processor (210) that receives head tilt information sensed by the head tilt sensor (120) and transmits an electrical signal to the control unit (130) for feeding back the head tilt information to the subject; An input unit (220) for inputting information about the vibration stimulus intensity of the vibrator (150), The headset (100) and the controller (200) are wirelessly connected, The head tilt information detected by the head tilt sensor (120) is fed back to the subject's mouth corners as vibration stimulation to treat gravity sensitivity disorder. A device (900) for treating gravity-sensitive disorders.

2. The head tilt sensor (120) is provided in the center of the substantially arc-shaped main frame (110) and has a piezoelectric element that detects a displacement from the direction of gravity.

2. The apparatus for treating gravity-sensitive disorders according to claim 1.

3. The substantially U-shaped bearing portion (141) of the transducer arm (140) is provided with a bearing recess facing the inner surface of the U-shaped tip portion, A support shaft is fixed to the substantially drum-shaped vibrator, A support shaft of the vibrator is rotatably supported in the bearing recess of the vibrator arm.

3. The apparatus for treating gravity-sensitive disorders according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The transducer and the control unit are connected by wire.

4. The apparatus for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a device for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders.

5. a first bolt is attached to the other end of the transducer arm, and a nut that screws onto the first bolt is attached to one end of the control unit, so that the other end of the transducer arm is rotatably attached to the one end of the control unit.

5. The apparatus for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a device for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders.

6. a second bolt is attached to the substantially arc-shaped tip portion of the main frame, and a nut that screws onto the second bolt is attached to the other end portion of the control unit, so that the other end portion of the control unit is rotatably attached to the substantially arc-shaped tip portion of the main frame; 6. The apparatus for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a device for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders.

7. The frequency of the vibration stimulus applied by the vibrator (150) to the corners of the mouth of the subject is 120 Hz to 180 Hz.

7. The apparatus for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a device for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders.

8. The subject's disease is Meniere's disease, peripheral vestibular disorder, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), vestibular neuritis, sudden hearing loss, orthostatic hypotension, acoustic neuroma, cholesteatoma, migraine-associated dizziness, psychogenic dizziness, or persistent sensory postural vertigo (PPPD).

8. The apparatus for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a device for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders.

9. The gravity-sensitive disorder treatment device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the headset (100) is a subject-specific device to be attached to a subject who is the subject of disease treatment, and the controller (200) is a physician-specific device for a physician treating the disease.

10. 10. The apparatus for treating gravitational sensitivity disorders according to claim 1, wherein the headset (100) and the controller (200) are wirelessly connected via the Internet.

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