Patent Grant
8702775
The present invention relates to using a portable thermal device to reduce accommodation of thermal nerve receptors, for example, a user-controllable variable-heat cycle thermal device.
In 1965, Melzack and Wall described the physiologic mechanisms by which stimulation of large diameter non-pain sensory nerves could reduce the amount of unpleasant activity carried by pain nerves. This landmark observation published in Science was termed the “gate control theory” and offered a model to describe the interactions between various types of the sensory pathways in the peripheral and central nervous systems. The model described how non-painful sensory input such as mild electrical stimulation could reduce or gate the amount of nociceptive (painful) input that reached the central nervous system.
The gate-control theory stimulated research that lead to the creation of new medical devices such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulators (TENS). In brief, TENS works by electrically “blocking” pain impulses carried by peripheral nerves. Receptors to cold and heat are located just below the surface of the skin. Heat receptors are activated through a temperature range of about 36° C. to 45° C. and cold receptors by a temperature range about 1-20° C. below the normal skin temperature of 34° C. (Van Hees and Gybels, 1981). The stimuli are transmitted centrally by thin poly-modal C nerve fibers. Activation of heat receptors are also affected by the rate of rise of the heat stimuli (Yarnitsky et al., 1992). Above 45° C. warm receptor discharge decreases and nociceptive response increases producing the sensations of pain and burning (Torebjork et al., 1984).
Activation of poly-modal thermal receptors causes significant pain relief in controlled experimental conditions. Kakigi and Watanabe (1996) demonstrated that warming and cooling of the skin in Human volunteers could significantly reduce the amount of reported pain and somatosensory evoked potential activity induced by the noxious stimulation of a CO2 laser. The authors offered that the effects seen could be from a central inhibitory effect produced by the thermal stimulation. Similar inhibition of pain from thermal simulation was reported in a different Human experimental pain model (Ward et al., 1996). The study authors (Kakigi and Watanabe 1996 and Ward et al., 1996) proposed that the thermal analgesia was in part from a central inhibitory effect (gating) from stimulation of small thin C nerve fibers. This contrasts with TENS which produces at least part of its analgesia through gating brought on by activation of large diameter afferent nerve fibers.
A number of recent clinical studies strongly support the use of heat as an analgesic in patients who suffer from chronic pain and offer potential mechanisms by which heat produces analgesia. Abeln et al. (2000) in a randomized controlled single-blinded study examined the effect of low level topical heat in 76 subjects who suffered from low back pain. Heat treatment was statistically more effective in relieving pain and improving the quality of sleep than that produced by placebo.
Weingand et al. (2001) examined the effects in a randomized, single blinded, controlled trial of low level topical heat in a group of over 200 subjects who suffered from low back pain and compared heat to placebo heat, an oral analgesic placebo, and ibuprofen 1200 mg/day. The authors found heat treatment more effective than placebo and superior to ibuprofen treatment in relieving pain and increasing physical function as assessed by physical examination and the Roland Morris disability scale.
A separate group (Nadler at al, 2002) found similar results in a prospective single blinded randomized controlled trial of 371 subjects who suffered from acute low back pain. The authors found that cutaneous heat treatment was more effective than oral ibuprofen 1200 mg/day, acetaminophen 4000 mg/day or oral and heat placebos in producing pain relief and improving physical function. The authors offered several hypotheses for the mechanism(s) of action which includes increased muscle relaxation, connective tissue elasticity, blood flow, and tissue healing potential provided through the low-level topical heat. Similar beneficial effects of topical heat were show in patients who suffered from dysmenorrhea (Akin et al., 2001), and temporomandibular joint pain TMJ (Nelson et al., 1988).
A recent study used power Doppler ultrasound to evaluate the effects of topical heat on muscle blood flow in Humans (Erasala et al., 2001). Subjects underwent 30 minutes of heating over their trapezius muscle and changes in blood flow were examined at 18 different locations over the muscle. Vascularity increased 27% (p=0.25), 77% (p=0.03) and 104% (p=0.01) with 39, 40 or 42° C. temperature of the heating pad. Importantly increases in blood flow extended approximately 3 cm deep into the muscle. The authors concluded that the increased blood flow likely contributed to the analgesic and muscle relaxation properties of the topical heat. Similar increases in deep vascular blood flow were noted using magnetic resonance thermometry in subjects treated with mild topical heat by two separate groups (Mulkern et al., 1999, and Reid et al., 1999).
TENS, Heat, and Pain Relief Methods
Recent studies demonstrating the analgesic effectiveness of heat and provided potential mechanisms of action. The mechanisms include a reduction of pain through a central nervous system interaction mediated via thin c-fibers (Kakigi and Watanabe, 1996, Ward et al., 1996), enhancement of superficial and deeper level blood flow (Erasala et al., 2001, Mulkern et al., 1999, Reid et al., 1999), or local effects on the muscle and connective tissue (Nadler et al., 2002, Akin et al. 2001). TENS is thought to act through inhibition of nociception by increasing endogenous opioids or by a neural inhibitory interaction of nociception via large diameter fibers. TENS is widely used and endorsed by the pain management guidelines of both the AHCPR and American Geriatric Society (Gloth 2001). However a significant number of patients fail to achieve adequate relief with TENS or fail within six months of starting treatment (Fishbain et al., 1996).
Previous Work
Many devices beginning with the earliest of the resistive wire heating pads are well known to accomplish the individual function of heating. A more complex therapeutic device for providing heating or cooling of the skin and underlying body tissue is disclosed in Deutsch (U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,828). This device includes a handle and a thermally conductive head that utilizes Peltier effect devices for heating or cooling a contact plate. The contact plate may also be connected to a high-voltage source for electrical stimulation.
Kanare et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,255), describes an electrical stimulation and heating or cooling pack that includes a pouch and straps for positioning and holding the pouch against a body part. Flexible conductive patches attached to the pouch are connectable to a remote pulse generator. An electrically conductive adhesive gel pad is also provided for coupling the conductive patch to the body part.
Heath (U.S. Pat. No. 1,377,158), describes an electrical resistance unit which can adapt to many uses, including heating devices. James (U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,618) is a device for providing combination electrical stimulation and the simultaneous heating of the body tissue. The device is a single unit and is portable, relying upon low current dry battery power for heating.
In this description, a Patient Controlled Thermal Analgesia (PTCA) device is presented and further discussed below. For convenience, the device may be referred to as a PTCA, a heating device, a portable thermal device or a user-controllable heating device or some combination of these terms; however, use of these terms is not intended, and should not be taken, to exclude from the scope of this invention other types of heat sources that are designed to be placed on the skin to enable increased thermal stimulation, reduce accommodation of thermal receptors, and to provide pain relief.
In the drawings, identical reference numbers identify similar elements or acts. The sizes and relative positions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some of these elements are arbitrarily enlarged to improve drawing legibility. Further, the particular shapes of the elements as drawn are not intended to convey any information regarding the actual shape of the particular elements, and have been solely selected for ease of recognition in the drawings.
The invention will now be described with respect to various embodiments. The present disclosure describes devices, systems, and methods for using heat to relieve pain and to render existing devices, for example, TENS, more effective. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding of, and enabling description for, these embodiments of the invention. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments of the invention.
The terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this Detailed Description section. Additionally, the invention can include other embodiments that are within the scope of the claims, but are not described in detail with respect to
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
The terms used herein are not intended, and should not be taken, to exclude from the scope of this invention other types of heat sources that are designed to be placed on the skin to enable pain relief. Illustrative embodiments will be shown and described; however, one skilled in the art will recognize that the illustrative embodiments do not exclude other embodiments.
The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not interpret the scope or meaning of the claimed invention.
One aspect is directed toward a portable heating device that uses heat to relieve pain and allows users to program and customize settings and output of the heating device. The heating device portably delivers a therapeutic dose of heat to the skin to reduce accommodation of thermal nerve receptors and includes a portable heat delivery element, a power source and a microprocessor control unit. Additionally, the portable heat delivery element may be contained within a housing and the housing may be adaptable to be worn proximate to the skin of a user. The power source is electrically coupled to the portable heat delivery element to provide a power supply to the heat delivery element. The microprocessor control unit is operably connected to the portable heat delivery element.
Another aspect is directed toward a heat delivery element that uses a variety of heating cycles and algorithms to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the device. Accordingly, the control unit has an activation element moveable between a first on-position and a second off-position to allow a user to control activation of the control unit. Thus, the heat delivery element may be designed so a user has the option of requesting a heating cycle by simply pressing an activation device such as a button, pressure sensor or lever on the controller. The benefits of user control are supported by experience gained over the last 15 years with patient controlled analgesia devices (PCA). PCAs are computer controlled pumps that deliver intravenous pain medications and studies indicate that a patient's ability to request analgesia only when he or she needs it is a highly rated feature (Etches, 1999 and Rawal, 1999). The patient is able to tailor the amount of drug delivered over time according to his or her own needs. The device described herein can apply heat as requested by the user. According to another aspect, the control unit also includes at least one of a predetermined variable heat cycle, the variable heat cycle having at least a ramp-up phase, a steady heat phase, a ramp-down phase and a soak heat phase, wherein the temperature differential between the steady heat phase and the soak heat phase is less than 5° C., and wherein the soak heat phase is greater than basal body temperature.
Another aspect is directed toward an improvement to existing pain relief mechanisms such as TENS, analgesics related to the Gate Theory of pain stimulation of subcutaneous receptors and changes in tissue blood flow, and transcutaneous drug delivery. The heating device therefore may further include a TENS system for providing a patient relief from pain through electrical stimulation. Alternatively, the heating device may further include an analgesic cream, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), antidepressant medications such as topical doxepin, or an Opioid analgesic applied to the skin prior to application of the heating device.
Another aspect is directed toward a user-controllable therapeutic heating device having multiple thermal elements for relieving pain in more than one locator on the user. The therapeutic heating device has a plurality of spaced apart thermal elements for transferring heat to skin, a power source, and a control unit. The thermal elements have a first side and a second side, the first side having a heat exchanging surface in thermal communication with the skin. The control unit is operatively coupled to the thermal elements to allow the user to control the heating device. The control unit has an activation device and the activation device allows the user to initiate a heating cycle and/or pattern to activate the thermal elements according to a predetermined heating cycle and/or pattern. According to aspects of the embodiment, the thermal elements are configured to be placed in various locations on the skin to provide therapeutic heat treatment for relieving pain.
Another aspect is directed toward a method of using heat to reduce accommodation of thermal nerve receptors of a subject. The method includes increasing the temperature of a heating element to provide a first temperature ramp-up period, holding the temperature of the heating element at a predetermined first predetermined therapeutic level for at least thirty seconds, decreasing the temperature of a heating device during a ramp-down period, and holding the temperature of the heating device at a second predetermined soak level, wherein the soak level temperature is above a basal temperature, wherein the soak level temperature is less than the therapeutic level temperature by at least 1° C.
An apparatus and method for controlled delivery of heating to the skin may include a microprocessor controller unit, a power source and housing, and a heating element or pad. The microprocessor control unit may be a programmable component that controls the device and allows the user adjustability of a variety of parameters such as the duration of heating cycle and pattern, temperature of the heating element, soak temperature and duration, shape and duration of heating wave and/or the rate of the temperature rise and fall. The predetermined or preset heating algorithms that may be contained in the microprocessor control unit are designed to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the device. According to additional aspects, the microprocessor control unit may further include a safety mechanism to control maximum temperature, for example, the device may use a mechanical temperature fuse as a safety backup. Additionally, the heat delivery device may be configured to be a wearable portable device. Furthermore, the heat delivery device may be designed to use rechargeable or disposable batteries or may be used multiple times.
Heat is delivered through heating elements that are designed in a variety of shapes and patterns. In one example, the heating elements are thermal elements, discrete heating elements contained in zones, sections, or regions. The thermal elements are designed for placement on a variety of anatomically separate locations of the body. In one example, the heating elements may be held to the body via specially designed belts, reflective material, and clothing or attached via adhesive-like jells. A variety of jells and compounds may be placed on the heating elements or pads that aid with heat conductivity, adhesion, or contain active medications. The heating elements are designed to function as a reservoir for these jells and medications. The heat delivered by the device assists in the transcutaneous delivery of these medications. The device is designed to relieve pain or assist with healing in a variety of medical conditions such as low, mid, or upper back pain, muscular pain, dysmenorrhea, headaches, fibromyalgia, post-herpetic neuralgia, nerve injuries and neuropathies, injuries to extremities, and sprains and strains
The heating element may further includes zones A, B, C, D, E, F, G of independently activated thermal zones, described further with respect to
A plug and socket arrangement may be plugged into the power source, such as a battery, while the unit is operational, the plug and socket may further be connected to the programming unit 400 while it is being programmed. A switch may be built into the programmable controller 300, the plug and socket arrangement 500 may be built into the programmable controller 300 or vice versa.
The programming unit 400 can monitor process parameters via sensors (not shown) placed proximate to the heating device 100 and adjust the temperature based on the process parameters. Process parameters include but are not limited to the temperature of the heating device, the duration of the cycle, the ramp-up or ramp-down phase duration, the hold or soak phase duration, the duration of the pattern (in which multiple cycles can continuously or intermittently run), the duration, sequence and pattern of the thermal zones, and the like. The programming unit 400 can include any processor, microprocessor, hand-held microcomputer, integrated circuit, Programmable Logic Controller, Distributed Control System, and the like.
In another aspect, the programmable controller 300 or the programming unit 400 can be activated by an activation device. The activation device can include a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, a push button, a switch, a potentiometer, and any other devices suitable for accepting user input. The programmable controller may further include an output device 410, the output device 410 can include a display screen, a printer, a medium reader, an audio device, and any other devices suitable for providing user feedback. The programmable controller may further include a control panel 420. The control panel 420 can include indicator lights, numerical displays, and audio devices. In the embodiment shown in
In an alternative embodiment,
In an alternative embodiment the heat could be applied to the pad in a non-uniform manner.
The embodiments described herein may employ a variety of safety mechanisms to prevent overheating.
Another aspect is directed toward a method of using heat to reduce accommodation of thermal receptors on the skin of a subject. The method includes increasing the temperature of a heating element to provide a first temperature ramp-up period, holding the temperature of the heating element at a predetermined first predetermined therapeutic level for at least thirty seconds, decreasing the temperature of a heating device during a ramp-down period, and holding the temperature of the heating device at a second predetermined soak level, wherein the soak level temperature is above a basal temperature, wherein the soak level temperature is less than the therapeutic temperature level by at least 1° C.
In operation, the heating device may deliver heat intermittently. The heat may be applied for a period long enough to heat the skin to a desired level; upon reaching the desired skin temperature the device turns off and the skin is allowed to cool; after a preprogrammed interval the device may reactivate the heat unit and the cycle repeats. Alternatively, multiple cycles may be delivered sequentially for a predetermined duration.
Without being bound by theory, the present invention provides thermal stimulation to the skin of a user; the thermal stimulation provides pain relief to the nervous system by stimulating the nervous system, but not allowing the thermal nerve receptors time to accommodate to the stimulation. In general, the nervous system is continuously attempting to accommodate to stimulants. When presented with a stimulant, the nervous system will react to the stimulant with a nerve response. Over time, the nervous system accommodates to the stimulation and provides a lesser response to the stimulation. However, if the stimulation is applied and then removed or reduced to allow the nervous system to reset or return to a baseline response mode, the thermal nerve receptors are not given the opportunity to accommodate to the stimulation and thus react anew to each introduction of the stimulation.
Another advantage of the variable heat cycle is that multiple therapeutic methodologies are applied in one cycle, namely, inhibiting nociception and increasing blood flow. The direct thermal stimulation in the peak time or therapeutic temperature hold provides direct stimulation of the nerves through heat and thus provides a counter-irritant to pain. Additionally, the soak phase is held at a temperature higher than the basal body temperature of the user, thus allowing continued therapeutic effects by improving the blood flow to the region and providing muscle relaxation while allowing the thermal nerve receptors to return to a baseline response mode.
Yet another advantage of the variable heat cycle is reduced power demand and consumption during the ramp-down or release phase when the thermal device does not draw power from the power supply, or draws reduced power from the power supply. Reduced power consumption results in a more efficient device with a longer life cycle and provides cost savings.
In alternative embodiments, heat can be applied in a non-uniform manner. Taking advantage of individually controllable heat regions or heat zones the heat can be applied sequentially or in any other imaginable pattern. Sequential heating of individual heat regions as drawn in
One expected advantage of the system is that the heating device is portable and can be conveniently worn by the subject such that pain relief is available as needed. According to aspects of the invention, the device is designed to relieve pain or assist with healing in a variety of medical conditions such as low, mid, or upper back pain, muscular pain, dysmenorrhea, headaches, fibromyalgia, post-herpetic neuralgia, nerve injuries and neuropathies, injuries to extremities, and sprains and strains. Another expected advantage is that greater pain relief will be realized by the user because they will be able to control the frequency and duration of the treatment. Another expected advantage is increased efficacy of TENS when used in combination with the system described herein.
A preclinical study done at the University of Washington with 15 subjects who suffered from chronic back pain demonstrated in randomized crossover design study that heat significantly improved the analgesic effectives of TENS. Heat alone was also significantly favored over TENS alone.
The current trial is a randomized controlled crossover design with a week washout between experimental sessions in subjects who suffer from chronic back pain. 11 of 50 subjects have completed all three experimental arms. The data to date shows that heat improves the analgesic effectiveness of TENS and Heat alone works better than TENS alone. The actual numbers are in the following table:
Question 1 result=the mean difference in pain ratings between pretreatment baseline and pain rating after 60 minutes of treatment. The pain scale ranges from 0-10. The larger the difference in pain ratings the better.
Question 2 result=the mean difference in pain ratings between pretreatment baseline and pain rating after 60 minutes of treatment. The pain rating scale is the descriptive pain scale. Again the larger the difference in pain ratings the better.
Question 3 result=the mean difference in pain ratings between pretreatment baseline and pain rating after 60 minutes of treatment. The pain assessment scale is the “pain unpleasantness rating scale”. Again the larger the difference in pain ratings the better.
In summary:
The preclinical data clearly shows that heat improves the analgesia effectiveness of TENS in a randomized crossover study.
The current randomized controlled crossover study uses the actual heating device and assesses pain after 60 minutes of treatment using three different widely accepted and validated pain measurement tools. In all three assessments Heat+TENS is the most effective pain treatment and in 2 of 3 conditions heat alone works better than TENS alone in reducing pain.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” As used herein, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variant thereof, means any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements; the coupling of connection between the elements can be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Where the context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number respectively. The word “or,” in reference to a list of two or more items, covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list.
The above detailed description of embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. The teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the above patents and applications and other references, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention.
These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of the above Detailed Description. While the above description details certain embodiments of the invention and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. Details of the system may vary considerably in its implementation details, while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/351,305, filed on Feb. 8, 2006, entitled APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR USING A PORTABLE THERMAL DEVICE TO REDUCE ACCOMMODATION OF NERVE RECEPTORS, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/651,369, filed on Feb. 8, 2005, entitled “PROGRAMMABLE PORTABLE CONTACT ANALGESIC AND DRUG DELIVERY HEATING DEVICE WITH MODE OF ACTION AND HEATING ALGORITHMS,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
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