Mobile phone using non-invasive nerve stimulation
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed that allow a patient to self-treat a medical condition, such as migraine headache, by electrical noninvasive stimulation of a vagus nerve. The system comprises a handheld stimulator that is applied to the surface of the patient's neck, wherein the stimulator comprises or is joined to a smartphone. A camera of the smartphone may be used to position and reposition the stimulator to a particular location on the patient's neck. The system may also comprise a base station that is used to meter the charging of a rechargeable battery within the stimulator. The base station and stimulator transmit data to one another regarding the status of a stimulation session.
1. A method for treating a medical condition of a patient, the method comprising:
generating an electric signal sufficient to modulate a nerve within the patient;
wirelessly transmitting the electric signal to a mobile device, wherein the wirelessly transmitting comprises downloading a mobile application onto the mobile device, and wherein the mobile application comprises an audio file;
contacting a contact surface of a stimulator against an outer surface of a skin of the patient, wherein the contact surface is coupled to the mobile device;
applying an electrical impulse to the contact surface and through the outer surface to a nerve at a target region within a body of the patient; and
disabling a function of the mobile device during the applying.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone comprises the stimulator.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, wherein the stimulator attaches to a surface of the mobile phone.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, wherein the stimulator comprises a case for the mobile phone.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile WI-FI device configured to receive and transmit data over a network.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contact surface comprises an electrode.
7. A method for treating a medical condition of a patient, the method comprising:
generating an electric signal;
amplifying the electric signal such that the amplified electrical signal is sufficient to modulate a nerve within the patient;
wirelessly transmitting the electric signal to a mobile device;
contacting a contact surface of a stimulator against an outer surface of a skin of the patient, wherein the contact surface is coupled to the mobile device;
applying an electrical impulse to the contact surface and through the outer surface to a nerve at a target region within a body of the patient; and
disabling a function of the mobile device during the applying.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the amplifying comprises electrically coupling an amplifier to at least one of the mobile device or the stimulator.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting comprises contacting an electrode against a neck of the patient, wherein the electrode extends from the mobile device.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse comprises bursts of pulses with each of the bursts having a frequency from about 1 burst per second to about 100 bursts per second and each of the pulses having a frequency from about 1 KHz to about 20 KHz.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
wirelessly transmitting data to the mobile device, wherein the data is configured for an electrical stimulation therapy via the stimulator.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the data comprises an authorization to the mobile device to enable the stimulator to operate.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the data comprises dosing information, wherein the dosing information comprises a duration of time in which the stimulator generates the electrical impulse.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the dosing information further comprises a number of treatments in which the stimulator may be applied to the patient, wherein the data limits a number of treatments that may be applied to the patient without a further authorization.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
filtering a high frequency component from the electric signal before the electrical impulse passes through the outer surface.
16. A method for treating a medical condition of a patient, the method comprising:
wirelessly transmitting an electric signal to a mobile device, wherein the wirelessly transmitting comprises downloading a mobile application onto the mobile device, and wherein the mobile application comprises an audio file;
contacting a contact surface of a stimulator against an outer surface of a skin of the patient, wherein the stimulator coupled to the mobile device;
applying an electrical impulse associated with the electric signal to the contact surface and through the outer surface to a nerve located at a target region within the patient, wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to modulate the nerve; and
filtering a high frequency component from the electric signal before the electrical impulse passes through the outer surface.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone comprises the stimulator.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, wherein the stimulator attaches to a surface of the mobile phone.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, wherein the stimulator comprises a case for the mobile phone.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile WI-FI device configured to receive and transmit data over a network.
21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the contact surface comprises an electrode.
22. A method for treating a medical condition of a patient, the method comprising:
wirelessly transmitting an electric signal to a mobile device;
amplifying the electric signal;
contacting a contact surface of a stimulator against an outer surface of a skin of the patient, wherein the stimulator coupled to the mobile device;
applying an electrical impulse associated with the amplified electric signal to the contact surface and through the outer surface to a nerve located at a target region within the patient, wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to modulate the nerve; and
filtering a high frequency component from the electric signal before the electrical impulse passes through the outer surface.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the amplifying comprises electrically coupling an amplifier to at least one of the mobile device or the stimulator.
24. The method of claim 16 , wherein the contacting comprises contacting an electrode against a neck of the patient, wherein the electrode extends from the mobile device.
25. The method of claim 16 , wherein the electrical impulse comprises bursts of pulses with each of the bursts having a frequency from about 1 burst per second to about 100 bursts per second and each of the pulses having a frequency from about 1 KHz to about 20 KHz.
26. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
wirelessly transmitting data to the mobile device, wherein the data is configured for an electrical stimulation therapy.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the data comprises an authorization to the mobile device to enable the stimulator to operate.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the data comprises dosing information, wherein the dosing information comprises a duration of time in which the stimulator generates the electrical impulse.
29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the dosing information further comprises a number of treatments in which the stimulator may be applied to the patient, wherein the data limits a number of treatments that may be applied to the patient without a further authorization.
30. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
disabling a function of the mobile device during the applying.
31. The method of claim 1 , further comprising amplifying the electric signal.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the amplifying comprises electrically coupling an amplifier to at least one of the mobile device or the stimulator.
33. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone comprises the stimulator.
34. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, wherein the stimulator attaches to a surface of the mobile phone.
35. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, wherein the stimulator comprises a case for the mobile phone.
36. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile WI-FI device configured to receive and transmit data over a network.
37. The method of claim 7 , wherein the contact surface comprises an electrode.
38. The method of claim 7 , wherein the contacting comprises contacting an electrode against a neck of the patient, wherein the electrode extends from the mobile device.
39. The method of claim 7 , wherein the electrical impulse comprises bursts of pulses with each of the bursts having a frequency from about 1 burst per second to about 100 bursts per second and each of the pulses having a frequency from about 1 KHz to about 20 KHz.
40. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
wirelessly transmitting data to the mobile device, wherein the data is configured for an electrical stimulation therapy via the stimulator.
41. The method of claim 40 , wherein the data comprises an authorization to the mobile device to enable the stimulator to operate.
42. The method of claim 40 , wherein the data comprises dosing information, wherein the dosing information comprises a duration of time in which the stimulator generates the electrical impulse.
43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the dosing information further comprises a number of treatments in which the stimulator may be applied to the patient, wherein the data limits a number of treatments that may be applied to the patient without a further authorization.
44. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
filtering a high frequency component from the electric signal before the electrical impulse passes through the outer surface.
45. The method of claim 7 , wherein the wirelessly transmitting comprises downloading a mobile application onto the mobile device.
46. The method of claim 16 , further comprising amplifying the electric signal.
47. The method of claim 46 , wherein the amplifying comprises electrically coupling an amplifier to at least one of the mobile device or the stimulator.
48. The method of claim 22 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, wherein the mobile phone comprises the stimulator.
49. The method of claim 22 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile phone, wherein the stimulator attaches to a surface of the mobile phone.
50. The method of claim 22 , wherein the mobile device comprises a mobile WI-FI device configured to receive and transmit data over a network.
51. The method of claim 22 , wherein the contact surface comprises an electrode.
52. The method of claim 22 , wherein the wirelessly transmitting comprises downloading a mobile application onto the mobile device.
53. The method of claim 22 , wherein the contacting comprises contacting an electrode against a neck of the patient, wherein the electrode extends from the mobile device.
54. The method of claim 22 , wherein the electrical impulse comprises bursts of pulses with each of the bursts having a frequency from about 1 burst per second to about 100 bursts per second and each of the pulses having a frequency from about 1 KHz to about 20 KHz.
55. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
wirelessly transmitting data to the mobile device, wherein the data is configured for an electrical stimulation therapy.
56. The method of claim 55 , wherein the data comprises an authorization to the mobile device to enable the stimulator to operate.
57. The method of claim 55 , wherein the data comprises dosing information, wherein the dosing information comprises a duration of time in which the stimulator generates the electrical impulse.
58. The method of claim 57 , wherein the dosing information further comprises a number of treatments in which the stimulator may be applied to the patient, wherein the data limits a number of treatments that may be applied to the patient without a further authorization.
59. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
disabling a function of the mobile device during the applying.