CA2228817C - Device for acupuncture therapy - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for delivering acupuncture therapy to an acupuncture meridian region of a patient. The device generates a signal having at least one signal component at a given frequency, and is operable over a number of successive time periods to change the given frequency for each of the time periods, the time periods being sufficiently short to at least partially offset brain-induced habituation effects in the patient. The device is thus able to delivering the signal to the acupuncture meridian region.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to acupuncture therapy and devices therefor.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED AR'r Acupuncture treatment has been widely used for many centuries in southeast Asian countries, but has not had the same extensive use in western culture. Typically, regular acupuncture treatments require one hour per day and must be performed by a trained professional over the course of several months by the use of very small needles. Many patients are not able to tolerate needles, nor are they able to invest the hour-per-day treatment times.
Conventional acupuncture electrodes tend to deliver a static or monotonous signal to one more single acupuncture points on a meridian line. These monotonous signals tend to be filtered out by the brain after a period ranging from about 2 to 30 seconds in a process known as 'habituation'.
Acupuncture electrodes have developed such as hand held pencil shaped probes, as disclosed in tJ.S. Patent 4,180,079 to Wing, or electrodes which are directly attachable to the body and are thus stationary during treatment, as disclosed in Canadian patent 1, 202, 683 to Pameranz et al . Pomeranz describes the effects of 'habituation' and proposes to reduce them by changing the gain on the signal being delivered to hi.s stationary electrodes. Despite the advances in the electrodes themselves, they still require professional training and the treatments using these instruments have shown to provide unsatisfactory results in some cases, because they tend to deliver a signal which is not sufficiently dynamic to counter the brain's habituation effects. Nonetheless, acupuncture is believed by increasing numbers in western countries to be a treatment of value.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved device for acupuncture therapy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the invention involves a device for delivering acupuncture therapy to an acupuncture meridian region of a patient, comprising;
generating means for generating a signal having at least one signal'component at a given frequency, the generating means being operable over a number of successive time periods to change the given frequency for each of the time periods, the time periods being sufficiently short to at least partially offset brain-induced habituation effects in the patient; and delivery means for delivering the signal to the acupuncture meridian region.
Preferably, the signal is a train of pulses at a first frequency, at least some of the pulses further comprising a train of subpulses at a second frequency and each of the time periods ranges from about 2 to 30 seconds.
More preferably, the second frequency ranges from about 100 Khz to about 200 Khz and the first frequency ranges from about 1 Hz to about 100 Hz. Still more preferably, the second frequency ranges from about 160 Khz to about 170 Khz and the first frequency ranges from about 1 Hz to 6 Hz and from about 70 Hz to 90 Hz. In one embodiment, the second frequency signal ranges from about 162 Khz to about 166 Khz and the first frequency is selected from a group of frequencies comprising 2 Hz, 4 Hz, 77 Hz and 84 Hz.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for delivering acupuncture therapy to an acupuncture meridian region of a patient, comprising;
a housing;
generating means contained within the housing for generating a therapeutic acupuncture signal;
the housing having a support portion to be placed adjacent the meridian region; the support portion having a plurality of regions therein, each of which includes a means for delivering the signal to the meridian region.
Preferably, the support portion includes a lower surface, the delivery means further including an electrode element positioned relative to the lower surface. More preferably, the lower surface further includes a plurality of apertures in the lower surface, each of the electrode elements being located in one of the apertures. Still more preferably, the electrode element includes a conductive surface, the conductive surface being movable relative to the lower surface. In several preferred embodiments, the conductive surface is convex and the electrode element is rotatably mounted relative to the lower surface and is in the shape of a wheel or a ball.
In still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for administering acupuncture therapy to an acupuncture meridian region of a patient, comprising the steps of:
generating a signal having at least one component at a predetermined frequency;
delivering the signal to the acupuncture meridian region; and varying the frequency over successive time periods during the therapy, the time periods being sufficiently short to at least partially offset brain-induced habituation effects in the patient.
In still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a technique for administering acupuncture therapy to an acupuncture meridian region of a patient, comprising the steps of:
a) delivering to the meridian region a first pulse train of electrical pulses at a first frequency, each of the pulses further comprising a subpulse train of subpulses at a second frequency, b) varying at least one of the first and second frequencies of the~pulse train after a predetermined period of time to form a second pulse train;
c) delivering the second pulse train to the meridian region;
and d) repeating steps a) to c) through the duration of the therapy.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Several preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the appended drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device for acupuncture therapy;
Figure 2 is a side view taken on arrow 2 of figure 1;
Figure 2a is a magnified fragmentary perspective assembly view of a portion of the device illustrated in figure 1;

Figure 2b is a sectional view taken on line 2b-2b of figure 2a;
Figure 3 is a schematic view of another portion of the device illustrated in figure 1;
Figures 3a and 3b are schematic views of waveforms generated by the portion shown in figure 3;
Figure 4 is more detailed schematic view of the portion illustrated in figure 3;
Figures 5(i) to 5(iv) are detailed circuit diagrams of the portion illustrated in figure 3;
Figures 5a, 5b and 5c are graphs showing wave forms for signals generated in the portion of figure 3;
Figures 6a and 6b are more graphs showing wave forms for pulses generated by the device of figure 1;
Figure 7 is a schematic view of the device of figure 1 one operative position;
Figure 8 is a sectional view of another device for acupuncture therapy; and Figure 9 is a schematic view of another device for acupuncture therapy in one operative position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to figure 1, a device is shown at 10 for acupuncture therapy, having a housing 12 which contains a means for generating a plurality of stimulating electrical pulses in the form of a stimulating pulse generator 14. The housing 12 has a support portion or lower region in the form of a base 16 with several delivery regions in the form of apertures 16a through which projects three movable electrode elements 18, 20, 22, each in the form of a wheel electrode which i_s suspended for rolling movement relative to the housing 12 and which i.s provided with a conductive outer surface 18a to deliver the pulses to the skin of a patient.
Two positive or active wheel electrodes are provided, in this case wheel electrodes 18 , 20 , as wel l as one negative or common wheel electrode as shown at 22, thereby allowing the pulses to travel between the active and common electrodes when the electrodes are placed in contact with the patient and thereby providing therapeutic benefit to the regions of the patient's body that lie therebetween, such as a group of points in one region of an acupuncture meridian line. In this case, the wheel electrodes have a fixed distance relative to one another and provide three points of transfer, two of which are shown at P1 and P2 to transfer the simulating pulses to the patient:. In this case, the points of transfer are at a fixed distance relative to one another. The wheel electrodes are rollable on the skin of the patient, thereby providing points of transfer that move relative to the patient, that is between P2 and P3 and P1 and P4 a distance 'D' respectively. Thus, it will be seen that the device provides multiple points of transfer which are movable along the skin of the patient which provides improved therapeutic benefits. In addition, by virtue of the fact that the electrode wheels are mounted in the housing of the device, the device may be operated with only one hand if necessary.
The housing 12 may be compact to be hand-held as shown at 'H' and can have dimensions of about 14 cm length, 4 cm width and 2 cm height. The diameter of the wheel electrodes may conveniently be about 4 cm. The active wheel electrodes may be spaced from the common wheel electrode by about 10 cm.
r The stimulating pulse generator 14 is coupled to the wheel electrodes by way of wires shown at 24, 26 to deliver thereto the stimulating pulses over a predetermined period of time.
Each wheel electrode, as shown for wheel electrode 20 in figures 2a and 2b, is rotatably mounted to the base 16 by way of an electrically conductive bearing assembly including a block 20a with a lateral bore 20b which is dimensioned to receive one of a pair of shafts 20c extending from the wheel electrode. The wheel electrode is electrically conductive and is formed from a brass alloy with an electroplated gold layer on its outer surface as shown at 20d to enhance the transfer of the electrical signal to the patient as will be explained. Each block is mounted to the base by way of a pair of threaded fasteners, one of which also receives a coupling with the cable 26.
The wheel electrode may also be formed of other materials, provided they have a conductive outer surface. For example, plastic moulded with conductive layer which is fully or partially covering the wheel electrode's outer surface.
The stimulating pulse generator 14 generates a pulse train of stimulating pulses at a first frequency. Each of these pulses further comprise a subpulse train of subpulses at a second frequency. As will be described, the pulse generator varies the first and second frequencies, in a manner to deliver a dynamic pulse train to the patient through the electrodes in a manner which is believed to provide therapeutic benefits.
Referring to figure 3, the pulse generator 14 includes a signal generating unit 28, with five outputs 28a to 28e, to generate a plurality of relatively low frequency digital signals, in this case 4, and at least one relatively high frequency digital signal, a modulator unit 30 for modulating each of the relatively low frequency signals with the relatively high frequency signal, thereby to form a pulse train as shown in figure 3a having a pulse duration of 'ta' and a period 'Ta'. Each pulse in turn is a subtrain of subpulses shown in figure 3b with a subpulse duration of 'tb' and a period 'Tb'. The modulator unit 30 includes four output channels 30a to 30d, each of which carries a corresponding pulse train thereon.
Each of the channels is joined to a designated input of a multiplexing unit 32 which in turn applies successive pulse trains one-by-one from selected ones of the channels to an output circuit 34, over a predetermined period of time. The output circuit converts the pulse trains to a stimulating pulse train, that is with a strength capable of delivering therapeutic benefits, and conveys the stimulating pulse trains to the wheel electrodes.
A schematic view of the stimulating pulse generator 14 is shown in figure 4. The signal generating unit 28 has an oscillator crystal 50 which generates a 4.096 Mhz output which is coupled with a frequency divider 52 (IC4060) which acts as crystal buffer and has a first 250 Hz frequency output which is coupled to an input of a 12 stage frequency divider 54 (IC4040). The latter generates four outputs having digital signals with 0.125, 0.0625, 2 and 4 Hz respectively, each of the 2 and 4 Hz outputs having a 'duty cycle' of 50 percent, that is, it has a 1 to 2 ratio between the length or duration of the 'on' state of the signal and the length or duration of the period of the signal, that is including both the 'on' and 'off' states. The 0.125 and 0.0625 Hz outputs are provided as driver signals and are coupled directly with two inputs of the multiplexing unit 32 (IC4052). The 2 and 4 Hz outputs are coupled directly with two designated inputs of the modulator unit 30.
The frequency divider 52 has a second 1000 Hz output which is also coupled with an input of a decoder 56 (IC4017) to generate a 76.92 Hz output with a 23 percent duty cycle, while the first 250 Hz output is also coupled to an input of a decoder 58 (IC4017) to generate an 83.33 Hz output with a 33 percent duty cycle. The 76.92 and 83.33 Hz outputs are coupled to two additional designated inputs of the modulator unit 30.
The frequency divider 52 has a third 4.096 Mhz output which is S coupled to a frequency divider 60 (IC4060) to generate an 819200 11z output, which is in turn coupled to the input of a decoder 62 (IC4017) to generate a 163840 Hz output (hereinafter referred to as the 164 Khz output) with a 20 percent duty cycle. The output of the decoders is also coupled to a designated input of the modulator unit 30.
The modulator unit 30 is arranged to modulate the 164 Khz signal with one of the 2, 4, 77 and 84 Hz frequencies to form four modulated pulse trains. These four modulated pulse trains are conveyed to the multiplexing unit 32 through four output channels 30a to 30d in the form of output terminals l, 2, 3 and 4. The waveforms of these outputs are illustrated in figures 5a to 5c where, in each case, the pulse train has a relatively low frequency in which each pulse includes a subtrain of subpulses, themselves having a relatively high frequency, and in this particular case 164 Khz. Signal pattern I corresponds to 4 Hz at a duty cycle of 50 percent, signal pattern II corresponds to 2 Hz at a duty cycle of 50 percent, signal pattern III corresponds to 76.92 Hz at a duty cycle of 23 percent, signal pattern IV corresponds to 83.33 Hz at a duty cycle of 33 percent and signal pattern V corresponds to 163830 Hz at a duty cycle of 20 percent.
The multiplexing unit 32 is driven by the 0.25 and 0.125 Hz signals from the Frequency divider 58 and couples one of the four inputs with its single output in a predetermined sequence, that is from input 1, 2, 3 and 4 in a predetermined pattern and switches the input coupling after a time period of 4 seconds, that is 2 Hz, 4 Hz, 77 Hz, 84 Hz, then repeats again.
Referring to figures 5(i) to 5(iv), the modulator 30 is shown with four AND

gates 30a, each of which receives one of the four relatively low frequency signals, namely 2, 4, 77, 84 Hz, on one input and the relatively high frequency signal, namely 164 Khz, on the second input. The multiplexer 32 output Y is coupled to the output circuit 34 via a transistor shown at 34a and thereafter is directed to two transformer units shown at 34b, 34c. Each transformer has a secondary, each of which is coupled to an active wheel electrode as shown at 18, 20, to deliver a bipolar pulse train as shown at figure 6a, 6b. An indicator light is also provided at 34d as an indication of the frequency of the pulse train being delivered to the wheel electrodes at particular period of time.
The interval or time period of 4 seconds was calculated by considering the approximate speed of the device during use as the device is passed over the skin of the patient at an approximate speed of 1.5 cm/sec, the distance between the wheel electrodes is about 10 cm. Therefore, it was calculated that the signal simulates every point for about 3.5 seconds and a 4 second switching between frequencies allows even low frequency signals to be applied for a sufficient amount of time. The change of the pulse train is provided by the 4 second change of state at input 'A' and the 8 second change of state at input 'B' on the multiplexer 32. However, the time period may be other than 4 seconds, such as between 2 and 30 seconds, so that it is sufficiently short to at least partially offset brain-induced habituation effects in the patient.
Referring to figures 6a, 6b, the amplitude of the pulse should be such to provide an effective pulse while taking into account factors that may influence the effective delivery of a therapeutic pulse to the patient, such a:~ losses that may arise at the connection of the wheel electrode surface with the output circuit and at the boundary of the wheel electrode surface and foreign material on the wheel electrode surface or on the skin of the patient, such as perspiration and dirt. Preferably, the pulse has sufficient strength to penetrate the skin of the patient at a depth of between 0.5 and 0.7 cm without causing skin damage such as burning. For example, the amplifier unit may be configured to provide the pulse with an amplitude swing in the order of about 9 volts with a maximum amplitude swing in the order of about 150 rnA.
The device is operated in the following manner. First, a desired group of points are identified on the patient along a particular acupuncture median line such as in the upper abdominal region identified in figure 7. The device is placed on the patient so that the meridian line is located between the two active wheel electrodes and with the common wheel electrode placed in a region adjacent the meridian line, for example directly on the meridian line ats shown at A in figures 7. The device is then activated, causing a train stimulating pulses to appear at the wheel electrodes as described above . ~'he device may then be moved slowly in a reciprocating fashion along a particular region, for example within six inches, as shown at B, on either side of the desired group of points.
Thus, the device provides for a technique for administering acupuncture therapy to an acupuncture meridian region of a patient, comprising the steps of:
a) delivering to the meridian region a first pulse train of electrical pulses at a first frequency, each of the pulses further comprising a subpulse train of subpulses at a second frequency, b) varying at least one of the first and second frequencies of the pulse train after a predetermined period of time to form a second pulse train:
c) delivering the second pulse train to the meridian region;
and d) repeating steps a) to c) through the duration of the therapy.
The high frequency subtrain can be seen as an agent to facilitate the penetration of the low frequency signal through the skin of the patient while the low frequency pulses provide therapeutic benefits, depending an their frequency. For example, the 2 and 4 Hz frequencies are believed to induce the production of natural pain killers known as 'endorphins', one of the 'enkephalins' produced by the body. The 77 Hz frequency is believed to produce other enkephalins and is believed to be a stress relieving agent, while the 84 Hz frequency is believed to have similar therapeutic benefits of the 77 Hz frequency.
It has been determined that the stimulation of several acupuncture points along any given meridian line on the body either at the same time or in reasonably short intervals therebetween is believed to be more effective than the stimulation of one or a group of such points in the conventional static manner using a single electrode for each such paint and this can be explained as follows. If an electronic acupuncture signal is applied to any acupuncture point for a long period of time, the brain 'habituates' that is it tends to filter out any such monotonous signal.
Depending on the patient, it has been found that this brain-induced habituation can occur after a range of about 2 to 30 seconds.
In the case of the above device, the signal is a pulse train at one relatively low frequency, wherein each pulse is itself another subtrain of subpulses at a relatively high frequency. The frequency of the pulse train changes over time and thus adds one dynamic variable to counter the habituating influence of the brain.
Furthermore, the points of transfer between the wheel electrodes and the patient change as the wheel electrodes roll, thereby adding a second dynamic variable to counter the habituating influence of the brain. Two pulse trains leave the two active electrodes, penetrating the skin and progressing to the common electrode, passing through the desired group of points along the way in a manner which is believed to cause release of endorphins and other therapeutic benefits. Thus, the range of points being treated is constantly changing as the device is moved along the skin of the patient.
The processes of acupuncture, electro-acupuncture and TENS
stimulate of a natural pain response mechanism, causing the release of pain relieving chemicals of a class known as opioid peptides, of which endorphins is just one. It has been shown that the body releases a class of chemicals known as 'endopeptidase', which destroys the endorphins after a relatively short period of time.
It ~is~ believed that, the signal emitted by standard fixed electrodes causes this pain response mechanism, the consequence being that therapeutic benefits of the endorphins are short lived by the destructive effects of the endopeptidase.
The present device is believed to stimulate different acupuncture points by moving back and forth along the meridian lines, in a manner which is believed to at least partially offset the brain-induced habituation effects in the patient. Moreover, by stimulating one region and then returning to that same region a relatively short time thereafter, the device and its treatment is believed to repeat or reset the body's pain response mechanism causing, once again, the release of the body's natural pain killers, thereby increasing the overall quantity of endorphins available to the body for pain relief.
The device does not require the placement of needles, nor the attachment of electrodes. Rather, the device need only be placed in contact with the skin of the patient in the desired meridian line region with an appropriate electrode cream if necessary and therefore does not necessarily require extensive professional training for its use. The signals, in the device of figure 1, deliver the pulse signals simultaneously to the two active wheel electrodes. However, it may be beneficial to provide different signals to each of the active wheel electrodes, depending on the treatment.
While the device shown in figure 1 has two active wheel electrodes and one common wheel electrode, other configurations are also contemplated such as the use of more than two active wheel electrodes as well as two or more common wheel electrodes. rigure 8 is a cross sectional view of a device 100 having a housing 102, a base 104 and a number of rollers, two of which are shown at 106, The rollers are supported in conductive bearings 108 which are coupled to a pulse generator 110 in the manner above described for device~l0. Similar in most other respects to the device 10 shown above, the device 100 is not confined to uniaxial reciprocal movement as shown in figure 7 , but rather may be used in a circular reciprocal movement as shown in figure 9.
Thus, the multiplexing unit functions as a means for varying the pulse by switching the output signal between a sequence of input signals. Each input signal is generated by the modulator unit which modulates one relatively low frequency signal with one relatively high frequency signal. The modulator unit, if desired, may be configured to add one ar more relatively low frequency signals with the one relatively high frequency signal or may instead use one or more relatively high frequency signals, again depending on the therapeutic effect being desired.
Preferably, the train o.f pulses have relatively low frequencies in a range between about 1 Hz to 100 Hz, more preferably from about 1 Hz to 6 Hz and from about 70 Hz to 90 Hz, and specifically for the above device, frequencies of about 2 Hz, 4 Hz, 77 Hz and 84 Hz and each subtrain of subpulses have a relatively high frequency in a range of between about 100 and 200 Khz, more preferably between about 160 Khz and 170 Khz, still more 1. 4 preferably between about 162 Khz and 166 Khz and in the present case about 164 Khz. These specific frequencies have been selected because they are believed to provide certain therapeutic benefits, that is by triggering the patient's body to release its own defence mechanisms, such as endorphins anc~ the like. Other frequencies may also be used either with or without these selected frequencies, depending on therapeutic treatment desired. The therapeutic effects of the pulse signal can a7_so be varied by changing the duty cycle of one or more of the frequency components.
While the multiplexing unit applies one of the four inputs with its single output in a predetermined sequence, the multiplexing unit may couple the inputs in another manner such as by using a random sampling unit to randomly select one of the inputs over a regular interval. Furthermore, the multiplexing unit may switch from one randomly se_Lected input to another randomly selected input in a randomly sE:lected period of time within a normal operating period, say for example 4 seconds.
While the devices shown herein switch the pulse train frequencies every four seconds, other time periods may be used such as in a range from about 2 to 30 seconds.
While the device shown herein makes use of electrical pulses for treatment, it may be configured to provide magnetic or other pulses in a similar manner. In addition, the waveforms of the pulses may indeed be other shapes than those shown herein and may include sharp peaks or be sinusoidal rather than rectangular as shown herein.
While each of the pulses in the pulse trains described above include a subtrain of subpulses, it should be recognized that significant therapeutic benefit may be available by providing a number of pulse trains as described above and then one or more relatively constant pulses, repeated by a number of pulse trains 1. 5 again as described above.
While the above devices make use of a number of circuit components, it will be understood and that advances in electronics may result in circuit optimizatian and a reduction in the number of components needed. For example, a microprocessor may be used either with a frequency generating crystal or an on-board frequency generating capability, without the need of separate frequency dividers as described.

Claims (21)

1. A device for delivering acupuncture therapy to an acupuncture meridian region of a patient, comprising;
generating means for generating a signal having at least one signal component at a given frequency, said generating means being operable over a number of successive time periods to change said given frequency for each of said time periods, said time periods being sufficiently short to at least partially offset brain-induced habituation effects in said patient; and delivery means for delivering said signal to said acupuncture meridian region.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said signal is a train of pulses at a first frequency, at least some of said pulses further comprising a train of subpulses at a second frequency.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said time period ranges from about 2 to 30 seconds.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said second frequency ranges from about 100 Khz to about 200 Khz.

5. A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said first frequency ranges from about 1 Hz to about 100 Hz.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein said second frequency ranges from about 160 Khz to about 170 Khz and said first frequency ranges from about 1 Hz to 6 Hz and from about 70 Hz to 90 Hz.

7. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein said second frequency signal ranges from about 162 Khz to about 166 Khz and said first frequency is selected from a group of frequencies comprising 2 Hz, 4 Hz, 77 Hz and 84 Hz.

8. A device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a housing containing said generating means and a support portion to be placed adjacent said meridian region; said support portion having a plurality of regions therein, said delivery means including a plurality of electrode elements, each of which is located in the plurality of regions.

9. A device as defined in claim 8 wherein said support portion includes a lower surface, each of said electrode elements being positioned relative to said lower surface.

10. A device as defined in claim 9 wherein said lower surface further includes a plurality of apertures in said lower surface, each of said electrode elements being located in one of said apertures.

11. A device as defined in claim 10 wherein said electrode elements includes a conductive surface, said conductive surface being movable relative to said lower surface.

12. A device as defined in claim 11 wherein said conductive surface is convex and said electrode elements is rotatably mounted relative to said lower surface.

13. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein said electrode elements is in the shape of a wheel.

14. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein said electrode element is in the shape of a ball.

15. A device as defined in claim 12 wherein said time period ranges from about 2 and 30 seconds and wherein said signal is a train of pulses at a first frequency, at least some of said pulses further comprising a train of subpulses at a second frequency, said second frequency ranges from about 100 Khz to about 200 Khz.

16. A device as defined in claim 15, wherein said first frequency ranges from about 1 Hz to about 100 Hz.

17. A device as defined in claim 16, wherein said second frequency ranges from about 160 Khz to about 170 Khz and said first frequency ranges from about 1 to 6 Hz and from about 70 Hz to 90 Hz.

18. A device as defined in claim 17, wherein said second frequency signal ranges from about 162 to about 166 Khz and said first frequency is selected from a group of frequencies comprising, approximately, 2 Hz, 4 Hz, 77 Hz and 84 Hz.

19. The device as defined in any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein rotation of each of said electrode elements causes a corresponding point of transfer of said pulses to said acupuncture meridian region by way of said electrode elements to move relative to said meridian region during said therapy.

20. The device as defined in any one of claims 8 to 14, wherein said signal is a train of pulses at a first frequency, at least some of said pulses further comprising a train of subpulses at a second frequency, said second frequency ranges from about 100Khz to about 200 Khz; and wherein rotation of each of said electrode elements causes a corresponding point of transfer of said pulses to said acupuncture meridian region by way of said electrode elements to move relative to said meridian region during said therapy.

21. The use of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 20 for acupuncture therapy in an acupuncture meridian region of a patient.