GB2203648A

GB2203648A - An electrical body stimulator

Info

Publication number: GB2203648A
Application number: GB8711240A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lord Robin Innes Ker; Jonathan D Bird; Dr G H Byford
Original assignee: ELECTROTHERAPY Ltd
Current assignee: ELECTROTHERAPY Ltd
Priority date: 1987-04-22
Filing date: 1987-05-13
Publication date: 1988-10-26
Also published as: GB8711240D0; GB8709489D0

Abstract

A stimulator, which not only relieves pain but also helps with the healing of body tissue, comprises means for producing a pulsed electrical waveform wherein the waveform is a negative-going part only of a differentiated square wave, means for amplifying the waveform, and electrode means for transferring the amplified waveform to an area of body tissue. <IMAGE>

Description

Apparatus for use in Electrical Body Stimulation This invention relates to electrical body stimulation and in particular to an apparatus producing an electrical waveform which helps body tissue tQ heal and which relieves pain.

Electrical body stimulation is well known in the medical profession for use on both human and animal bodies to relieve pain. A small alternating current is passed via removable electrodes placed on the surface of the skin through the portion of the body being treated. The effect of the alternating current can relieve the pain.

The apparatus according to this invention not only relieves pain but also helps with the healing of body tissue.

According to the present invention there is provided an electrical body stimulator comprising means for producing a pulsed electrical waveform wherein the waveform is a negative-going part only of a differentiated square wave, means for amplifying the waveform, and electrode means for transferring the amplified waveform to an area of body tissue.

Preferably the pulsed electrical waveform has a pulse frequency between about 0.5 and 140 pulses per second.

Preferably the pulsed electrical waveform may be intermittent with a pulse frequency of between 0.5 and 6 pulses per second, or alternatively it may be continuous with a pulse frequency of between 60 and 140 pulses per second.

Preferably the intermittent waveform has a pulse frequency of between 1.5 and 2.5 pulses per second.

Preferably the continuous waveform has a pulse frequency of about 100 pulses per second.

Preferably the decay time is between 1.6 and 2.4 milliseconds, ideally about 1.8 milliseconds.

The amplification means provides an output voltage preferably of between 15 and 40 volts, and ideally about 28 volts.

It is also preferable that the square wave is differentiated by a circuit having a time constant of between 0.0004 and 0.0012 seconds, the time constant being ideally about 0.0008 seconds.

It is also preferable that the pulse frequency, pulse amplitude and decay time of the electrical waveform be variable.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the drawing in which Figure 1 shows a basic circuit for differentiating a square wave input, and Figure 2 shows the desired waveform for input into body tissue.

Referring to the drawing, a square wave input enters the differentiating portion of the circuit which comprises a capacitor C and a resistor R. The differentiated output may be varied by adjusting the variable resistor Rv, as is well known in the art. The differentiated output is then amplified and rectified to ensure that only negative going pulses (as shown in Fig 2) are present at the output of the circuit. There are many ways of achieving this which are well known.

The output from the circuit is then fed via removable electrodes placed on the surface of a subject body.

The effect of the electrical pulses having a waveform as shown in Figure 2 is to help the tissue to heal, and to relieve any pain which the subject may be experiencing.

The apparatus may be used on humans or animals, and the pulse frequency, pulse amplitude and pulse decay time may be varied as required.

In the specific embodiment, the voltage across the amplification means is 28 volts, the pulse decay time is 1.8 milliseconds, the time constant of the differentiating part of the circuit is 0.0008 seconds and the pulse frequency is either between 1.5 and 2.5 pulses per secnd for the intermittent waveform or 100 pulses per second for the continuous waveform. The figures are of course variable.

It will of course be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications of detail can be made within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An electrical body stimulator comprising means for producing a pulsed electrical waveform wherein the waveform is a negative-going part only of a differentiated square wave, means for amplifying the waveform, and electrode means for transferring the amplified waveform to an area of body tissue.

2. An electrical body stimulator according to Claim 1 wherein the pulsed electrical waveform has a pulse fre quency between 0.5 and 140 pulses per second.

3 An electrical body stimulator according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the pulsed electrical waveform is intermittent with a pulse frequency of between 0.5 and 6 pulses per second.

4. An electrical body stimulator according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the pulsed electrical waveform is continuous with a pulse frequency of between 60 and 140 pulses per second.

5. An electrical body stimulator according to Claim 3 wherein the intermittent waveform has a pulse frequency of between 1.5 and 2.5 pulses per second.

6. An electrical body stimulator according to Claim 4 wherein the continuous waveform has a pulse frequency of about 100 pulses per second.

7. An electrical body stimulator according to any preceding claim wherein the waveform has a decay time of between 1.6 and 2.4 milliseconds, most preferably 1.8 milliseconds.

8. An electrical body stimulator according to any preceding claim wherein the amplification means provides an output voltage of between 15 and 40 volts, and ideally about 28 volts.

9. An electrical body stimulator according to any preceding claim wherein the square wave is differentiated by a circuit having a time constant of between 0.0004 and 0.0012 seconds, the time constant being ideally about 0.0008 seconds.

10. An electrical body stimulator according to any preceding claim wherein the pulse frequency, pulse amplitude and decay time of the electrical waveform are variable.

11. An electrical body stimulator substantially as herein before described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.