Forehead Nerve Stimulation for Migraine Pain Relief

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current acute migraine treatments rely heavily on pharmacologic approaches that come with side effects and limited effectiveness, and there is a need for non-invasive and non-drug therapies for managing migraine attacks.

Innovation Solution

A system and method utilizing biphasic electrical pulses delivered through skin electrodes placed on the forehead to stimulate the supratrochlear and supraorbital nerves of the trigeminal nerve for prolonged periods, providing a safe and non-invasive treatment for migraine attacks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pharmacologic approaches (analgesics, NSAIDs, triptans) are used for acute migraine treatment, then pain relief is achieved, but side effects and limited effectiveness occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of migraine treatmentVSAvoidside effects of medication

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces pharmacologic treatment with a physical/electrical stimulation system. Electrical pulses are delivered through skin electrodes to stimulate the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves, substituting chemical medication with an electrical/physical intervention to achieve pain relief without medication side effects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary electrical stimulation system between the migraine attack and the patient's pain experience. The stimulation device acts as a mediator that modulates nerve activity to block pain transmission, providing an alternative pathway to achieve relief without direct pharmacologic intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If invasive neuromodulation techniques (percutaneous occipital nerve stimulation, sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation) are used, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but patient acceptance and safety are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of neuromodulation treatmentVSAvoidinvasiveness and patient tolerance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of stimulating nerves deeper in the head (occipital nerve, sphenopalatine ganglion) as in invasive techniques, the patent inverts the approach by stimulating more superficial forehead nerves (supraorbital and supratrochlear) through skin electrodes, achieving effective neuromodulation with a non-invasive method

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses skin electrodes as an intermediary interface that enables electrical nerve stimulation without breaking the skin or requiring surgical implantation. This intermediary layer allows effective neuromodulation while maintaining patient comfort and safety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20230108691A1External trigeminal nerve stimulation for the acute non-invasive treatment of migraine attacks

Publication Date: 2023.04.06 ORSAN MEDICAL TECH

AI summary

The current invention concerns a system and a method for the acute non-invasive treatment of a migraine attack. The system comprises at least one skin electrode for placement on the forehead of a patient. The system is configured for providing consecutive biphasic electrical pulses via said at least one skin electrode to the supratrochlear and supraorbital nerves of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve during a prolonged time span. Preferably, the time span is at least 10 minutes.