Dynamic Electrical Stimulation System for Pain Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing TENS devices face challenges such as accommodation, requiring constant external stimulation and clinical expertise for optimal electrode placement, leading to reduced long-term pain management effectiveness and increased complexity for patients.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for dynamic electrical stimulation that continuously acquires and processes analog electrical signals from the body, performs a Fast Fourier transform, filters frequencies between 0 Hz to 100 Hz, calculates a dominant frequency, and adjusts the stimulation signal accordingly to provide a feedback frequency, eliminating the need for constant stimulation and complex electrode placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If TENS devices are used continuously for pain management, then pain relief can be maintained, but the nerves accommodate to the electrical impulse over time, diminishing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by continuously modulating the electrical stimulation parameters (amplitude, pulse width, frequency) based on real-time EMG feedback. The system dynamically adjusts these parameters to prevent nerve accommodation and maintain optimal pain blocking effectiveness throughout the treatment period.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by using EMG signals from the muscle to continuously monitor and adjust the stimulation parameters. The system processes the EMG feedback to determine optimal electrode placement and stimulation settings, ensuring sustained effectiveness without accommodation.
2Reliability
If electrode placement is optimized based on EMG signals, then pain treatment effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity and requirement for clinical expertise increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling the device to automatically optimize electrode placement and stimulation parameters based on its own EMG feedback. The system performs self-diagnosis and self-adjustment, eliminating the need for clinical expertise in interpreting EMG signals and determining optimal electrode positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating a digital model of the muscle's electrical activity through EMG signals. This digital representation is processed to automatically determine optimal electrode placement, replacing the need for manual clinical assessment and expertise.
3Reliability
If needle electrodes are inserted sub-dermally for optimized stimulation, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but the ease of operation and patient self-administration is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the invasive needle electrode component from the treatment system. Instead of requiring sub-dermal needle insertion, the system uses surface electrodes that can be easily applied by patients themselves, maintaining effectiveness while dramatically improving ease of operation and self-administration capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach achieves long-lasting pain relief and inflammation reduction without accommodation, allowing for self-administration and reducing the need for clinical expertise, with treatment effects lasting several weeks.
Implementation Method 1
providing an electrical amplifier in signal communication with a portion of a patient's body, continuously acquiring analog electrical signals from the patient in the electrical amplifier
Implementation Method 2
performing a Fast Fourier transform to convert the digital electrical signals to a frequency domain, filtering the frequency domain electric signal
Implementation Method 3
Electrical stimulation is known to reduce or block pain signals conduction in nerves. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has been used to treat pain
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is used in a therapeutic process to provide relief of pain and swelling by dynamic electric stimulation at very low power levels at frequencies between about 2 to 100 Hz. in which the stimulation frequency is constantly offset from the detected dominant frequency by between about 2 to 20 Hz. The pain relief benefits can last weeks, even though the treatment duration is generally well under a minute.