RU2458674C2 - Laser acupuncture apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: invention refers to physiotherapeutic apparatuses. A presented apparatus comprises a handle body which integrates a power supply unit and a control unit, a laser diode coupled with the control unit with emission brought outside through an outlet on a pointed handle tip. A side surface of the handle comprises a general electrode also connected with the control unit. The control unit is connected to the power supply unit. On an internal side surface of the outlet, there is an acupuncture point detector represented by a thin metal core of the diameter no more than 1 mm as specified by the acupuncture point size, one end of which is bent so that it gets into a laser beam, and another one is connected to the control unit.

EFFECT: ensured both acupuncture point detection and exposure to low-intensity laser radiation that are combined with silver ion microelectrophoresis by the same apparatus.

3 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of physiotherapeutic devices and can be used to restore the vitality of an organism with excessive physical and intellectual stress and for the treatment of various diseases using laser reflexology.

To date, laser therapy, including laser acupuncture, is widely used in medical practice for the effective treatment of a large number of various diseases. The advantages of laser therapy include non-drug treatment, the absence of side effects, the absence of physical, invasive contact with the patient, and the high efficiency of treatment. The disadvantages include, first of all, the inability to use most of the known devices in the home and / or field conditions due to significant weight and dimensions, up to non-transportable ones, energy consumption and price.

Historically, the laser therapy method began to develop with the advent of coherent radiation sources, lasers, in particular a helium-neon gas laser, generating continuous coherent radiation with a wavelength of 633-650 nm (red light) with an output power of 3-7 mW. The first medical lasers had very large weight and energy consumption, created a danger of defeating patients and staff with high voltage, which is used in a gas laser to excite a gas discharge.

A very large number of laser therapeutic devices containing a low-voltage power supply, a control circuit, and one or more laser diodes generating coherent radiation in one or more spectral ranges are known (MUSTANG family, production of SPC TECHNICS, Moscow, dimensions about 300 × 200 × 100 mm, weight 1-4 kg, price 10-40 thousand rubles, as well as MULAT, RIKTA, MILTA, AZOR with similar parameters, etc. (figa-c).

Known devices include a power supply and control unit and remote emitters connected to the unit by a connecting cable.

The disadvantages of all these devices are their relatively large weight and size, which does not allow them to be used at home or in the field, but only in a hospital by well-trained personnel, since the control of the devices is quite complicated. Therefore, a simple citizen is not able to master these devices and the technique of working with them in laser acupuncture mode.

The development of microprocessor technology has significantly reduced the weight and dimensions of devices. Small-sized pocket-sized devices appeared. They include a laser diode - emitter, a control circuit and an autonomous power source, battery or accumulator (ANT, production of SPC TECHNICS, Moscow, dimensions 150 × 65 × 50, weight 200 g, price 6,800 rubles, fig. 1g ; ORION, production of VNPP ZHIVA, Moscow, dimensions 120 × 70 × 40 mm, weight 150 g, factory price 7200 rubles, fig. 1d; CRYOLE, production of the company Technika-PRO, Moscow, dimensions 120 × 70 × 40, weight 50 g., Price 5900 rubles., Fig. 1e; ALPHA, production of the Belarusian Optical and Mechanical Association, Minsk, dimensions 17 × 117, weight 50 g., Price 5600 rubles., Fig. 1zh; BTL-2000, production of co companies Nienshants, St. Petersburg, dimensions 130 × 230 × 30, weight 70 g, price 9600 rubles., figs, etc.).

All devices are small-sized, completely autonomous with varying degrees of autonomy, however, they can be used only by specialists specially trained in acupuncture technique, since a simple user, even having an atlas of the location of acupuncture points, cannot find them on the body, only a specialist can do this without a special device acupuncture, and all of the listed devices do not provide the ability to search for these points. Or it is necessary to additionally purchase a device for detecting acupuncture points, for example, of the SEARCH type, manufactured by the MAGNON enterprise, Yekaterinburg at a price of 1650 rubles, fig.

The device is a metal cylindrical case with a diameter of 16 mm, a length of 135 mm, and a weight of 80 g, at one end of which there is a sensor probe with a diameter of 3 mm, and an indicator LED on the other. Inside the metal case there is a power source and a conductivity control circuit between the metal case and the probe. When the device is used, it is taken into the hand and the tip of the probe is guided over the skin. At the acupuncture point, the skin conductivity increases, the LED lights up [RF patent No. 2026061].

The device has a large probe diameter compared to the size of the acupuncture point, therefore, detection of an acupuncture point by it does not guarantee that the laser beam accurately directs a laser beam onto it. In addition, two-stage detection-exposure (first finding a point with the SEARCH device, and then exposing it to a laser device) also reduces the accuracy of the installation, especially for lasers with infrared invisible radiation. An attempt to mark a point in some way (with a felt-tip pen) results in exposure to radiation shielding and a decrease in the effectiveness of the treatment when exposed.

Ideally, these two operations (search and exposure) should be carried out by one device: after finding the acupuncture point, the device, without shifting relative to the point, goes into radiation mode. In this case, the coincidence of the laser spot and the acupuncture point is guaranteed.

Also known are devices for electrophoresis containing electrodes in the form of plates and a voltage source applied to them, and methods for administering drugs through the skin under the influence of a small potential difference on the anode and cathode plate, the electrodes being coated with a drug that is administered for treatment [RF patent No. 2268074. Diagnosis and treatment through the skin, http://www.ionization.ru /].

The disadvantage of the method and the device is the impossibility of using them outside the hospital, office for physiotherapy of the clinic.

Also known devices for the so-called microelectrophoresis, when, together with, for example, electroacupuncture, a medication is introduced into the acupuncture point through a special electrode in the form of a needle, which enhances the action of the main factor - irritation of the acupuncture point that causes a reflex reaction of the nervous system [RF patents No. 2173132, No. 96124041]. Under the influence of electric voltage, the ions of the drug are distributed in the electrolyte, which can be a solution of salt, sweat, water, secrets of the skin or mucous membranes.

The disadvantage of this device is the risk of infection of the patient with fatal infections such as AIDS, hepatitis, etc. with the introduction of an insufficiently sanitized needle.

It is possible to obtain metal ions and their effect on biological objects, including iontophoresis, without using an external electric field. For this, the difference in the work function of different metals is used when they are joined together, creating a potential difference, under the influence of which metal ions with a smaller work function diffuse along the electric field lines through the skin to another metal, interacting “along the way” with an acupuncture point or with diseased area. The role of the electrolyte is performed by water, wound fluid, the secrets of the skin or mucous membranes [RF patent No. 2215555].

The disadvantage of this device is the possibility of its impact only on extended objects, for example on the area of injury or an extended wound. When exposed to an acupuncture point, firstly, it is impossible to accurately establish the boundary of metals, where the most intense iontophoresis occurs, on the acupuncture point, because it is UNDER the device, and secondly, the number of ions from the AREA falling into the POINT is negligible and therefore, it does not provide any significant addition to the effectiveness of acupuncture.

The bactericidal properties of silver have been known since ancient times. The active, most active, elements of silver are silver ions. Such active ions can be obtained in the process of electrolysis in an electrolyte. Active silver ions easily penetrate into the tissues of a living organism and freely circulate in the bloodstream and tissue fluids. And meeting with pathogenic microbes, viruses and fungi, they also easily penetrate through their outer shell and lead to their death. A stimulating effect of silver ions on the blood-forming organs was noted with an increase in metabolic processes in the brain, which improves its function. Silver ions are actively involved in the immune function of the body, they “rejuvenate” the blood, stimulate the physiological processes of the body, promote the growth of children, increase the amount of proteins in the blood, depleted people gain weight, etc. Electrophoresis of silver ions is an excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic in the treatment of arthritis, postoperative inflammatory phenomena: wounds, carbuncles, boils, pustules. This is especially important when the body is allergic to antibiotics and sulfonamides, or when microorganisms are resistant to these drugs, [http://www.germedic.kiev.ua/ru/, www.longevity.w3.lt ]. Therefore, the use of microelectrophoresis in acupuncture is of significant interest from the point of view of combining the efficiency of electrophoresis of silver ions and laser acupuncture. The same applies to zinc ions and some other metals.

The closest to the essence of the problem to be solved is a device for laser acupuncture, which consists of a body in the form of a pen (item 2), inside of which there is a laser diode (item 15), a power supply (item 10), a control unit (item 28 ), on the side surface of the handle there is a common electrode, the radiation of the laser diode through the outlet at the pointed end of the handle (4) is brought out, while the laser diode, power supply and common electrode are connected to the control unit (Fig.6), and the unit power supply and control unit located inside CA (Fig. 2), at the pointed end of the body there is a metal (conductive) sensor for detecting acupuncture points, which is connected to the control unit and is used as a contact with which to search for biologically active points (acupuncture points) on the patient’s body in a standard way - by monitoring the resistance of the skin area that the acupuncture point detection sensor touches and the common electrode on the side of the handle that the doctor holds in his hand. At the acupuncture point, the skin resistance between the sensor and the common electrode decreases, which is fixed by the light and sound indication of the control unit. After that, without shifting the handle, the laser is turned on, receiving power, as well as the control unit, from the power supply [US patent No. 6306160 B1, from 23.10.2001].

The disadvantage of this device is the one-factor therapeutic effect, only laser acupuncture is used, while it is known that, as a rule, multi-factor treatment methods give the best result.

The aim of the invention is the creation of an integrated small-sized device for laser acupuncture, providing both the detection of an acupuncture point and exposure to low-intensity laser radiation, and the simultaneous implementation of microelectrophoresis of silver / zinc / other metals with one device.

To achieve this goal, in the proposed device, as well as in the known one, there is a housing in the form of a handle, inside of which there is a power supply and a control unit, and a laser diode connected to the control unit, the radiation of which is output through the outlet at the pointed end of the handle. On the side surface of the housing is a common electrode, also connected to the control unit. The control unit is connected to the power supply. At the pointed end of the body is a metal (conductive) acupuncture point detection sensor.

In contrast to the known acupuncture point detection sensor (which can be made in the form of a metal pin with a diameter equal to the diameter of the acupuncture point), it is made of or coated with a layer of silver or zinc, or other metals.

Comparison with the prototype of the proposed device shows that the acupuncture point detection sensor is made of or coated with a layer of silver or zinc, or other metals.

Such a manufacture of the sensor, if it has about half the supply voltage of the device (1-1.5 V), allows you to create a microelectrophoresis pair (anode (sensor) - cathode (common electrode), where the electrolyte is the secrets of the skin or mucous membranes at the acupuncture point) and conduct electrophoresis of silver (zinc) ions in parallel with a laser acupuncture session. The combination of two therapeutic factors significantly increases the effectiveness of each of them.

The combination of the search and exposure functions with two treatment factors significantly increases the efficiency of the procedure and simplifies the work with the device: now any patient, knowing approximately the location of the desired point on the acupuncture atlas, can independently find it with the acupuncture point finder and, being exactly above it, act on it with a laser ray. The parameters of the laser beam (frequency, duration, sweep, average value) are easily set by the microprocessor, which is part of the control unit. In this case, microelectrophoresis of silver ions / other metals to the acupuncture point is carried out in parallel, which is much more effective than traditional electrophoresis with plate electrodes.

An analysis of the information available to the authors, and this is all the descriptions available on the Internet of all currently known devices for laser therapy, as well as freely available descriptions of US patents and abstracts of Russian patents on laser therapy, show that in none of the known objects The technique does not use a similar method for integrating laser acupuncture and microelectrophoresis. There is no direct obvious connection between the coating of the search sensor for an acupuncture point with silver or zinc or other metals and the resulting combination of two therapeutic factors - laser acupuncture and microelectrophoresis at an acupuncture point. Therefore, the proposed technical solution is not obvious and has an inventive step, as it clearly does not follow from the known technical solutions.

The proposed technical solution was used in the Russian development of the KLaSS pocket laser therapeutic device, the mass production of which is currently being prepared. Negotiations are underway with a foreign manufacturer of medical equipment to acquire a license. The planned retail price of the integrated device is such (no more than 2,000 rubles) that it can be bought by any citizen, from student to president. Therefore, there is reason to argue that the claimed technical solution will be widely used in medical practice.

Figure 3 presents a diagram of the device. Here are shown: 1 - patient's skin, 2 - acupuncture point, 3 - laser beam, 4 - device case, 5 - semiconductor laser, 6 - control unit, 7 - power supply, 8 - common electrode, 9 - silver-plated / galvanized / coated other metals or an acupuncture point detection sensor made of them, 10 - fingers of a doctor or patient on a common electrode.

The laser 5, the power supply 7, the control unit 6, the detection sensor 9 with a silver-plated / galvanized / coated with other metals surface are located inside the housing 4, and the common electrode 8 is located on the lateral outer surface of the housing 4, and the beam 3 of the laser 5 comes out through the hole on the end of the housing 4, the laser 5, the common electrode 8, the power supply 7 and the detection sensor 9 are connected to the control unit 6.

For operation, the device is taken in hand 10 so that the fingers touch the common electrode 8, and the silver-plated end 11 of the detection sensor 9 is the patient’s skin in the area of the acupuncture point 2. When the device is moved, when the detection sensor 9 hits the acupuncture point 2, the control unit 6 turns on the light and an audible indication and turns on the laser 5. In this case, when the silver-plated end 11 of the sensor 9 hits the acupuncture point 2, under the influence of the potential difference the sensor is a common electrode, microelectrophoresis of silver / other metal ions begins at the acupuncture point ur, lasting the entire treatment session. After the procedure, the laser turns off, microelectrophoresis stops.

An essential advantage of laser acupuncture is its safety compared to traditional acupuncture: there is no risk of contracting AIDS, hepatitis and other dangerous diseases. Electrophoresis of metal ions also occurs without violating the integrity of the skin, therefore, without the risk of infection of the patient with AIDS, hepatitis, blood poisoning.

Another coating is possible, for example, zinc, as well as coating with other metals.

Microelectrophoresis and simultaneously laser exposure to an acupuncture point allow for the comprehensive treatment of a variety of diseases outside the hospital, at home or in the field.

Currently, the proposed technical solution is used in a laser therapeutic device KLaSS, developed by the Russian company SCD (figure 2). There is a prototype and preparations are underway for mass production.

Claims (1)

Device for laser acupuncture, consisting of a pen-shaped housing, inside of which there is a power and control unit and a laser diode, the radiation of which is output through the outlet at the pointed end of the pen, on the side surface of the pen is a common electrode, a laser diode, a power supply and a common the electrode is connected to the control unit, on the inner side surface of the outlet there is an acupuncture point detection sensor, which is connected to the control unit, characterized in that the end of the sensor made of silver / zinc, or other conductive metals or coated silver / zinc or other metals.

Images