56 results about "Muscle stimulator" patented technology

Apparatus and methods for treating back pain are provided, in which an implantable stimulator is configured to communicate with an external control system, the implantable stimulator providing a neuromuscular electrical stimulation therapy designed to cause muscle contraction to rehabilitate the muscle, restore neural drive and restore spinal stability; the implantable stimulator further including one or more of a number of additional therapeutic modalities, including a module that provides analgesic stimulation; a module that monitors muscle performance and adjusts the muscle stimulation regime; and/or a module that provides longer term pain relief by selectively and repeatedly ablating nerve fibers. In an alternative embodiment, a standalone implantable RF ablation system is described.

Apparatus and method for stimulating neuromuscular tissue in the stomach. The neuromuscular stimulator stimulates the neuromuscular tissue by applying current-controlled electrical pulses. A voltage sensor detects the voltage across the neuromuscular tissue to determine if the voltage meets a predetermined voltage threshold. A control circuit adjusts the current-controlled pulse if the voltage is found to meet the voltage threshold, such that the voltage does not exceed the voltage threshold. A voltage-controlled pulse may also be applied to the tissue. A current sensor would then detect whether the current on the neuromuscular tissue meets a predetermined current threshold, and a control circuit adjusts the voltage controlled pulse such that the current does not exceed the current threshold. A real time clock may be provided which supplies data corresponding to the time of day during the treatment period. A programmable calendar stores parameters of the stimulating pulse, wherein the parameters have a reference to the time of day.

An implantable medical device for treating the back of a patient. Stimulation energy is delivered to muscles or joint capsules or ligaments or nerve fibers to improve the heath of the back.

A portable muscle stimulator with removable data storage card is disclosed in which the removable data storage card is secured within the power muscle stimulator on specially designed rail guides which prevent the removable data storage card from being inserted to the power muscle stimulator incorrectly and which ensure that the power muscle stimulator is secured in a removable fashion within the power muscle stimulator. The portable muscle stimulator include a multitude of safety features which are designed to prevent injury to the user while at the same time to ensure that the portable power muscle stimulator is easy to use.

A transcutaneous electrical stimulator system includes a small, lightweight, portable, external, programmable transcutaneous electrical stimulator that provides multiple electrical stimulation therapies to a patient through the patient's skin. The stimulator includes persistent, modifiable memory programmable by a practitioner for prescribing multiple electrical stimulation therapies for the patient. A programming pod is configured to interface with the stimulator and a computer to program multiple stimulation therapies into the persistent, modifiable memory of the stimulator.

A anti-snoring and anti-obstructive sleep apnea apparatus has a plate or metal frame tongue shelf splint to prevent the flaccid tongue falling back, a palate shelf splint projection to elevate the soft palate and prevents its vibration, incisors teeth receptacles or pockets sockets for jaw displacer to hold the mandible moved forwards, and to prevent it falling back held between the bite block, catheter-tubing to administer oxygen supplementation from the external source which reduces air turbulence and promotes nasal breathing, a submental suprahyoid muscle stimulator placed below the tongue, and above the mucous membrane. An injection port is provided to administer any therapeutic agents and local anesthetics to reduce the sensitivity of the tongue and oral cavity mucus membrane lining to the foreign objects. This device is used to deliver therapeutic agents to prevent and to treat halitosis and various diseases.

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for relaying information from a cardiac pacemaker to an external device. Logic on the pacemaker modulates a heartbeat clock of the pacemaker to encode information onto a blood pressure sequence. This is accomplished by adding or subtracting a small subinterval to or from a pulse repetition interval of the pacemaker. A muscle stimulator beats the heart according to the modulated sequence. A monitoring device external to the body monitors the blood pressure to retrieve the encoded information, or message. The encoded information is then decoded to determine the information in the message. This information may concern the pacemaker as well as other devices within the body that are in communication with the pacemaker such as blood monitors, etc. Since the message is conveyed via simple modulation of the heart beat intervals, no separate transmitter is required in the pacemaker which would otherwise increase cost and decrease battery life.

A method and apparatus generate resonant sequences having pulses optimally spaced and configured to realize uniform contractions in a musculature. Namely, each subsequent pulse maintains tension within sarcomeres of the musculature as the resonant sequence propagates inwardly to progressively stimulate the entirety of the musculature. Variation in the width, spacing, polarity and/or amplitude of the pulses comprising the resonant sequence further overcomes accommodation and nutritional depletion while minimizing discomfort.

The invention relates to a self-adaptive device and method for controlling the load of a nerve and muscle stimulator, in particular to a device and a method for monitoring and outputting the electrode load of a medical nerve and muscle stimulator in real time so as to prevent the load of the nerve and muscle stimulator from being subjected to open circuit and generating a high voltage to cause electric shock to a patient or user when the nerve and muscle stimulator is in use. The device comprises an output spigot, a load sensor, an isolation outputting module, an isolation back-feeding module, a main control chip, a display unit and a sound unit. The main control chip is provided with a data processing module, a display mode generating module and a display outputting module. The isolation outputting module is connected with the data processing module arranged in the main control chip through an electronic circuit board and is also connected with the output spigot through the load sensor. The data processing module arranged in the main control chip is connected with the display outputting module through the display mode generating module. The displaying unit and the sound unit are connected with the display outputting module.

A device for application to a body part for the treatment of symptoms of injury or pain, comprising a holder for simultaneously applying (1) a thermal device capable of retaining hot or cold, and (2) a transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulator, whereby to allow the simultaneous application to a body part of transcutaneous electrical nerve/muscle stimulation and either hot or cold therapy. The holder can have a pocket for receiving the thermal device and a front surface bearing the nerve/muscle stimulator, for example, by hook and loop material, or adhesive, enabling the activatable surface of the nerve/muscle stimulator to be applied to the body part simultaneously with the hot or cold therapy of the gel pack in the pocket.

A system for adjusting a spatial distribution of an electrical stimulation field across a scanning electrode, by a system user, including: (a) a scanning electrode for performing functional electrical stimulation (FES) of at least one muscle of a limb, the electrode having first and second electrically conductive areas, separated by an electrically insulating region for insulating therebetween; (b) a distribution mechanism for dividing a current between the areas to produce the spatial distribution of the stimulation field across these areas, the distribution mechanism for operative connection to a muscle stimulator providing electrical stimulation to the system, and (c) a control mechanism for controlling the distribution mechanism, so as to effect a smooth and continuous adjustment of the spatial distribution of the field.

Described herein is an apparatus and method for ischemic muscle training or recovery by coordinated blood flow restriction and electrical muscle stimulation. The apparatus comprises a blood flow occluding element for restricting blood flow to a target muscle or muscle group in a user, and measuring resting systolic blood pressure (SBP); and an electrical muscle stimulator comprising at least one electrode and a control unit which, upon activation, is effective to send low amplitude electric pulses through the target muscle or muscle group forcing the targeted muscle to contract while the blood flow is restricted.

A portable muscle stimulator with removal data storage card is disclosed in which the removable data storage card is secured within the power muscle stimulator on specially designed rail guides which prevent the removable data storage card from being inserted to the power muscle stimulator incorrectly and which ensure that the power muscle stimulator is secured in a removable fashion within the power muscle stimulator. The portable muscle stimulator include a multitude of safety features which are designed to prevent injury to the user while at the same time to ensure that the portable power muscle stimulator is easy to use.

A method and apparatus include a therapeutic or developmental instrument that includes hardware and/or software for stimulating a muscle. Such an instrument may comprise, for instance, a golf club, a baseball bat, a lacrosse stick, a tennis racquet or a hockey stick, among other sports-related instruments. Still other suitable instruments may include a writing instrument, such as a pen. In the case of a golf club, a muscle of a user may be stimulated by the instrument as the golfer practices her swing. Combining such muscle stimulation with the act of practicing the movement of the swing has a synergistic effect of training the muscle as it builds strength. Similarly, a partial paralytic may regain strength in their hand by holding and writing with a pen configured to transcutaneously deliver a stimulating signal. Where desired, the instrument may include at least one electrode configured to deliver a stimulating signal to the holder of the instrument. In another or the same embodiment, wired electrodes may extend from the instrument or an adjacent signal generator to the holder of the instrument. This configuration may allow other, targeted muscles to be concurrently stimulated while the user manipulates the instrument.

Systems configured to apply pressure to a foot and electrically stimulate muscles to contract in order to increase circulation and facilitate removal of metabolic waste, and related methods, are disclosed. One exemplary embodiment comprises an actuator that repeatedly compresses the bottom of a foot and an electrical muscle stimulator that repeatedly sends electrical pulses to a muscle to facilitate a muscle contraction. The system may also include a compression garment, such as a compression sock to be worn while undergoing both the repeated compression cycles and the repeated electrical pulses. The system may also include an item of footwear, wherein the actuator portion is partially or completely contained within the item of footwear. Additionally and/or alternatively, the electrical muscle stimulator may be partially or completely contained within the item of footwear.

The invention relates to a face and mouth muscle stimulator formed by an approximately oblong, oval body (1) to be placed in the mouth, having an open central part and side ends (2) that are wider than the upper and lower mid-zones (3) which are provided with V-shaped recesses (4) at the position of the frenulum. Optionally, the invention can include fixed or removable projections (5) positioned on the stimulator or on attachments (8). The invention can also include a sheet (6) provided with holes (7) for the connection of elements such as bottles or pacifiers or provided with a horizontal groove (11) for the incorporation of a bite splint (12) coupled at the front (2b) thereof using T-shaped flanges (13). Alternatively, the body (1′) can have a V-shaped configuration formed by vertical walls (20 and 30) in order to be positioned in the inner space of the lower jaw, including perpendicular projections (40 and 50) by way of horizontal bite planes.

The invention discloses a USB wired and wireless electronic pulse stimulator system including an electronic processing device, a main component and a massage unit. The main component is respectively connected with the electronic processing device and the massage unit. The system is characterized in that: the main component comprises a control unit which is in wired connection with a high voltage generator and a high voltage bidirectional switch respectively, the high voltage generator and the high voltage bidirectional switch are in wired connection, and the high voltage bidirectional switch and the massage unit are in wired connection. According to the invention, both a wired connection mode and a wireless connection mode are provided, and the system is easy to use; and since the electronic massage unit is connected with a personal computer and the like through a USB interface, people can enjoy the massage while working on the computer, an SD reader is provided as a mass storage device, work content can be stored in the personal computer, and the system has the advantages of being convenient, practical, and portable.

Disclosed is a device for restoring motion to a person's paralyzed body part, for example, the person's hand. The device senses movement of another part of the person's body not affected by the paralysis, for example, the person's arm or shoulder. Motion sensors generate motion signals as the person moves the non-paralyzed body part. A processor stores information associating a predefined trajectory with a particular action, for example, closing the hand to grasp an object. The processor monitors the motion signals and, when the motion corresponds with the predefined trajectory, the processor energizes muscle stimulators connected with muscles that control the paralyzed hand to perform the action, for example, to cause the hand to close around and grasp the object.

Disclosed are a method and apparatus for stimulating the masticatory, shoulder, or back, and facial muscles. This is achieved by way of placing four output electrodes and at least one common electrode in the vicinity of the head, neck, and shoulder or back of a subject. In particular, two output electrodes are placed adjacent to the ears of the subject and two output electrodes are placed along the upper back of the subject. The at least one common transmitting electrode is placed on the back of the neck of the subject, generally just below the hairline. Stimulation of muscles/nerves in the vicinity of each output electrode is achieved substantially simultaneously by way of the current produced by the output electrodes.

Electric acupuncture device for treating patients suffering from chronic muscle pain, the device includes an electric acupuncture tool for mounting needles, a control unit for adjusting the frequency and depth of acupuncture, a mechanism for clamping and positioning the tool A pivoting arm, a remote switch for activating the power tool, and preferably an auxiliary device for initiating said needle penetration through the patient's skin. Once the tool is positioned on the patient's skin with the pivoting arm and activated with the switch, the auxiliary device pushes the muscle stimulator and the needle penetrates the skin at a constant frequency and at a defined depth The following is about the muscles to be treated.