Treatment of bleeding by non-invasive stimulation
Devices, systems and methods for stimulating (e.g., noninvasively) a subject's inflammatory reflex are provided to reduce bleed time. The method may include the step of non-invasively stimulating the inflammatory reflex (e.g., the vagus nerve, the splenic nerve, the hepatic nerve, the facial nerve, and the trigeminal nerve) of a subject, such as by mechanical stimulation, in a manner which significantly reduces bleed time in the subject. Devices for non-invasively stimulating the inflammatory reflex may include a movable tip or actuator that is controlled to mechanically stimulate the ear. The devices may be hand-held or wearable, and may stimulate the cymba conchae region of the subject's ear.
1. A method of reducing bleed time in a subject, the method comprising:
non-invasively stimulating a subject's vagus nerve with an external mechanical actuator while the subject is bleeding or is about to undergo surgery, to activate a cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway to reduce bleed time.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises mechanically stimulating the subject's cymba conchae region of the subject's ear.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises stimulating at a frequency between about 50 and 500 hertz.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises stimulating for less than 5 minutes.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises stimulating for about 1 minute.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises stimulating in a region of stimulation during a stimulation period with a temporal pattern that does not allow accommodation of mechanoreceptors.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises mechanically stimulating the subject's cymba conchae region of the subject's ear for between about 50 and 500 hertz for about one minute.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating is applied to at least one location selected from the subject's cymba conchae of the subject's ear, or helix of the subject's ear.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating is applied to at least one point along a spleen meridian.
10. A method of reducing bleed time in a subject, the method comprising:
providing a mechanical actuator; and
non-invasively stimulating with the mechanical actuator the subject's ear while the subject is bleeding or is about to undergo surgery, to stimulate an inflammatory reflex to activate a cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and reduce bleed time in the subject.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises mechanically stimulating the subject's cymba conchae region of the subject's ear.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises stimulating at a frequency between about 50 and 500 hertz.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises stimulating for less than 5 minutes.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises stimulating for about 1 minute.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises stimulating in a region of stimulation during a stimulation period with a temporal pattern that does not allow accommodation of mechanoreceptors.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating comprises mechanically stimulating the subject's cymba conchae region of the subject's ear for between about 50 and 500 hertz for about one minute.
17. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating is applied to at least one location selected from the subject's cymba conchae of the subject's ear, or helix of the subject's ear.
18. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of non-invasively stimulating is additionally applied to at least one point along a spleen meridian using a second mechanical actuator.
19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the stimulation is performed for 5 minutes or less with a displacement of the mechanical actuator of between 0.0001 to 5 mm.
20. A method of reducing bleed time in a subject, the method comprising:
providing a mechanical actuator, wherein the mechanical actuator is wearable on the subject's ear and comprises a magnetic driver adapted to be located on one side of the subject's ear and a magnetic element adapted to be located on an opposing side of the subject's ear; and
non-invasively mechanically stimulating with the mechanical actuator, the subject's ear while the subject is bleeding or is about to undergo surgery, to stimulate an inflammatory reflex and activate a cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway to reduce bleed time in the subject.