Treatment of living tissues using electromagnetic fields
View Patent ↗A method for treating living tissues with electromagnetic fields by subjecting the tissues to be treated with an electromagnetic field that varies as a function of time, and without the need for a corresponding static magnetic field, is provided.
1. A method for treating living tissue with electromagnetic fields, comprising:
providing living tissue to be treated;
providing at least one signal generator for generating a plurality of signals;
providing a selection mechanism for selecting at least one output signal from the plurality of generated signals;
providing the at least one output signal to a power amplifier, wherein the power amplifier adaptively controls magnetic flux density (B) by generating a controllable current;
providing means for applying magnetic flux density (B) to the tissue; and
subjecting said tissue to a controllable magnetic flux density (B) and dB/dt.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein dB/dt is controllable by controlling magnetic flux density (B), while keeping time (t) constant.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein magnetic flux density (B) is controllable by controlling at least one of the amplitude and timing parameters of the current delivered to a coil for applying the magnetic flux density to the tissue.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein dB/dt is controllable by controlling time (t), while keeping magnetic flux density (B) constant.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein dB/dt is controllable by controlling both magnetic flux density (B) and time (t).
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said tissue is nerve tissue, the method further comprises providing a sawtooth magnetic flux density (B) and applying the sawtooth magnetic flux density (B) to the nerve tissue.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sawtooth magnetic flux density (B) has symmetrical rise and fall times.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the sawtooth magnetic flux density (B) has asymmetrical rise and fall times.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein dB/dt is controllable by controlling a current input to the means for applying magnetic flux density to the tissue.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the current is provided by the output of a current output amplifier.
11. A method for determining a beneficial or harmful treatment of living tissues with electromagnetic fields, comprising:
providing living tissue to be treated;
providing at least one signal generator for generating a plurality of signals;
providing a selection mechanism for selecting at least one output signal from the plurality of generated signals;
providing the at least one output signal to a power amplifier, wherein the power amplifier adaptively controls magnetic flux density (B) by generating a controllable current;
providing means for applying magnetic flux density (B) to the tissue;
subjecting said tissue to a controllable magnetic flux density (B) and dB/dt; and
determining the effect on the tissue.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein magnetic flux density (B) is controlled by controlling a current input to the means for applying magnetic flux density (B) to the tissue.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the current is provided by the output of a current output amplifier.
14. An apparatus for treating living tissues with electromagnetic fields, the apparatus comprising:
at least one signal generator for generating a plurality of signals;
a selection mechanism for selecting at least one output signal from the plurality of generated signals;
a power amplifier that uses the at least one output signal and adaptively controls magnetic flux density (B) by generating a controllable current; and
means for applying magnetic flux density (B) to the tissue.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the tissue is subjected to a controllable magnetic flux density (B) and dB/dt.
16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the tissue is subjected to a controllable magnetic flux density (B) and dB/dt, the apparatus further comprises means for determining the effect on the tissue.
17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the means for applying magnetic flux density (B) includes a coil.
18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the power amplifier is a current output amplifier.
19. The apparatus of claim 14 , for promoting nerve regeneration, wherein one of the plurality of signals is a sawtooth.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the sawtooth has symmetrical rise and fall times.
21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the sawtooth has asymmetrical rise and fall times.