Electrotherapy Device for Headache Treatment via Nerve Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The application of TENS-type electrotherapy to the forehead to excite the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves often causes intense pain, making the treatment unbearable for patients and limiting its use in migraine and headache treatment due to the dense innervation of the periosteum with pain-sensing nerve fibers.
Innovation Solution
A device with elongated, symmetrical electrodes applied transversally to the upper face, using a programmable signal generator to deliver low-voltage pulses of specific duration and intensity increase, tailored to excite both supratrochlear and supraorbital nerves without causing pain, with dimensions and pulse characteristics optimized to minimize discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wider electrode is used to excite the supraorbital nerves, then the treatment effectiveness is improved, but the pain intensity increases making the treatment unbearable
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode is divided into multiple separate contact elements (first contact, second contact, third contact, fourth contact) arranged in a specific pattern. This segmentation allows the electrode to cover a wider area to stimulate multiple nerve paths (supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves) while each individual contact maintains a small surface area to minimize pain, thus resolving the contradiction between treatment effectiveness and pain intensity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a small electrode is used to avoid pain, then the comfort is improved, but the treatment effectiveness decreases as it cannot excite both supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode contacts are arranged in a two-dimensional pattern (first and second contacts on one side, third and fourth contacts on the other side) that spans across the forehead region. This dimensional arrangement allows small contacts to collectively cover the necessary area to stimulate both supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves while maintaining small individual contact sizes to avoid pain, resolving the contradiction between comfort and treatment effectiveness.
3Area of stationary object
If the electrode surface area is increased to cover the entire forehead, then the coverage is improved, but the pain sensation increases due to dense periosteum innervation
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode applies local quality by concentrating the conductive gel and electrical stimulation at four specific localized contact points rather than distributing it across the entire forehead surface. Each contact point has a small surface area that avoids the densely innervated periosteum regions, while the collective arrangement of these local contacts achieves sufficient coverage to stimulate both supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves, resolving the contradiction between coverage area and pain sensation.
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
The solution effectively treats migraines and tension headaches by exciting the target nerves without causing pain, allowing for comfortable treatment and easy adaptation to individual morphology through the use of self-adhesive conductive gel and carefully controlled electrical parameters.
Implementation Method 1
The device comprises an electrode support in the form of an elongated, symmetrical element to support two contact electrodes to be applied transversally to the upper part of the face... an electric circuit for supplying the electrodes by means of low-voltage electric pulses
Data Source
AI summary
A device is for the electrotherapeutic treatment of headaches such as tension headaches and migraines. An electrode support (10) has a shape and is size selected so as to allow, independently from the subject, the excitation of the afferent paths of the supratrochlear (2) and supraorbital (3) nerves of the ophthalmic branch (1) of the trigeminal nerve. An electrical circuit includes a programmable signal generator suitable for creating pulses of a duration of between 150 and 450 microseconds with a maximum increase in intensity of 0 to 20 milliamperes at a rate of less than or equal to 40 microamperes per second and with a step up in intensity not exceeding 50 microamperes.