Systems and methods that provide electrical stimulation to a nerve to reduce a reflex that affects a bodily function
One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system for electrical stimulation. A waveform generator can be configured to generate an electrical waveform. An electrode can be electrically coupled to the waveform generator and configured to deliver the electrical waveform to a nerve to reduce at least one reflex that affects a bodily function.
1. A method comprising the steps of:
generating, by a waveform generator, an electrical waveform comprising cycles of an on time that comprises a patterned electrical waveform, comprising a base waveform and a burst waveform occupying 75% of the base waveform, and an off time; and
delivering, by an electrode coupled to the waveform generator, the electrical waveform to a dermatome of a nerve comprising afferent nerve fibers of the subject to stimulate the afferent nerve fibers to suppress a urethral reflex that impedes urine flow and affects a bodily function.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode is a surface electrode or a subcutaneous electrode.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the bodily function comprises voiding the urinary bladder.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising stimulating, by a bladder driver, a second nerve to activate the urinary bladder to facilitate the voiding when the urethral reflexes are reduced.
5. The method of claim of claim 1 , wherein the nerve is at least one of a peripheral nerve, a sacral spinal cord nerve, a sacral root nerve, a thoracic spinal nerve, and a lumbar spinal cord nerve.
6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising applying, by the bladder driver, electrical stimulation to at least one of a sacral root, a bladder efferent nerve, and an afferent-mediated peripheral nerve to activate the urinary bladder for voiding.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nerve is a sacral afferent nerve.