Electronic Pain Treatment Device Using Variable Waveforms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating chronic pain, such as oral or topical drugs, epidural blocks, and surgery, are often ineffective and invasive, with Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) providing only short-term relief.
Innovation Solution
An electronic pain treatment device that administers specific electrical waveforms to trigger points associated with pain, using variable wave generators, impedance measurement circuits, and multiple electrode probes to increase tissue conductivity and provide lasting pain relief.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If TENS is used to treat pain, then short-term pain relief is achieved, but the pain gate opens and pain returns once the device is turned off
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses periodic electrical pulses applied at specific intervals to trigger points. The pulsed waveform pattern continues to stimulate trigger points after initial application, maintaining the closed pain gate state and extending relief duration beyond what conventional TENS achieves.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the electrical parameters by using a specific pulsed waveform pattern with varying frequency and amplitude. This parameter modification allows the electrical energy to penetrate deeper and maintain longer-lasting effects on trigger points compared to conventional TENS parameters.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If oral or topical drugs are administered, then pain relief is achieved, but widespread systemic distribution and undesirable side effects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The device replaces the chemical mechanism of drug absorption and distribution with an electrical mechanism. Electrical energy is applied directly to trigger points through the skin, eliminating the need for systemic drug circulation and its associated side effects while maintaining pain relief effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical treatment is applied locally to specific trigger points rather than systemically through oral or topical drugs. This localized approach concentrates the therapeutic effect at the pain source without causing widespread distribution and side effects throughout the body.
3Ease of manufacture
If surgery is employed to treat pain, then structural pain issues can be addressed, but the procedure is expensive and invasive
Solution Approach 1:
The device substitutes invasive surgical intervention with a non-invasive electrical treatment system. Electrical energy is delivered through the skin without incisions or tissue damage, eliminating surgical invasiveness while providing a reliable alternative for treating pain caused by trigger points.
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables patients to perform self-treatment of trigger points at home without requiring surgical intervention. The portable device can be applied by the patient themselves, eliminating the need for invasive procedures and providing ongoing treatment 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
The device offers a non-surgical, long-lasting pain relief solution by increasing tissue conductivity, reducing perceived pain, and allowing for cumulative treatment effects, with significant reductions in pain levels measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).
Implementation Method 1
The device administers electrical energy, of a specific electrical waveform and generated by the device, to trigger points associated with the pain... increasing tissue conductivity
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic pain treatment device delivering electrical energy to the tissue of a patient in pain is provided which includes a variable wave generator, an impedance measurement circuit, and at least one electrode probe. Associated methods for treating pain are also disclosed.