Selective high frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain, including cephalic and/or total body pain with reduced side effects, and associated systems and methods
Selective high-frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency modulation in the range of from about 1.5 kHz to about 100 kHz may be applied to the patient's spinal cord region to address abdominal pain without creating paresthesia in the patient.
1. A method for treating abdominal pain in a patient, exclusive of abdominal pain associated with total body pain, comprising:
configuring a signal generator to generate and deliver an abdominal pain therapy signal to a target vertebral location via at least one implantable signal delivery device coupled to the signal generator,
wherein at least a portion of the therapy signal has a frequency in a frequency range of from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz, includes pulses with a pulse width in a pulse width range of 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds, and has an amplitude in an amplitude range of 0.1 mA to 20 mA, which at least partially alleviates the abdominal pain, exclusive of abdominal pain associated with total body pain, without generating paresthesia in the patient.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the therapy signal has a frequency of from about 5 kHz to about 15 kHz.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 15 kHz.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 20 kHz.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 10 kHz.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the therapy signal has a frequency of about 10 kHz.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the target vertebral location is at a vertebral level of from about T6 to about T12.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one signal delivery device includes a percutaneous lead having one or more electrodes disposed toward a distal end of the percutaneous lead.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein configuring the signal generator includes programming the signal generator.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the pulse width range is between 25 microseconds and 166 microseconds.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the portion of the electrical therapy signal is biphasic.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the pulse width range is 30 microseconds to 35 microseconds.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the amplitude range is 0.5 mA to 10 mA.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the amplitude range is 3 mA to 10 mA.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the amplitude range is less than 1 mA to 6 mA.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the amplitude range is up to 6 mA.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency range is 5 kHz to 15 kHz, the pulse width range is 30 microseconds to 35 microseconds, and the amplitude range is 0.5 mA to 10 mA.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein the target vertebral location is an epidural location.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the pain includes acute pancreatitis pain.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein the pain includes chronic pancreatitis pain.
21. The method of claim 1 wherein the pain includes cancer pain.
22. The method of claim 1 wherein the pain includes ilioinguinal neuralgia pain.
23. The method of claim 1 wherein the pain includes visceral pain.
24. The method of claim 1 wherein the pain includes post-vasectomy pain.
25. The method of claim 1 wherein the pain includes genitofemoral neuralgia pain.
26. The method of claim 1 wherein the abdominal pain includes chronic abdominal pain.