HIGH FREQUENCY STIMULATION FOR TREATING SENSORY AND/OR MOTOR DEFICITS IN PATIENTS WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES AND/OR PERIPHERAL POLYNEUROPATHY, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
High frequency stimulation for treating sensory and/or motor deficits in patients with spinal cord injuries and/or peripheral polyneuropathy, and associated systems and methods. A representative method includes addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction and/or motor dysfunction, resulting from neuropathy and/or spinal cord injury, by directing an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region, the therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.
1 . A method for treating a patient, comprising:
addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction and/or motor dysfunction, resulting from neuropathy and/or spinal cord injury, by directing an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region, the therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction includes at least partially improving the patient's ability to detect pain.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction includes restoring the patient's sensation of pin prick.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the therapy signal is directed to the patient to reduce or inhibit patient pain in addition to addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat peripheral polyneuropathy in the patient.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat diabetic neuropathy.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes dysesthesia.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes foot numbness.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes an inability on the part of the patient to feel the patient's foot.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein addressing motor dysfunction includes reducing spasticity.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency is 10 kHz.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the therapy signal is directed to the spinal cord from at least one epidural electrical contact.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the therapy signal is directed from at least one electrical contact having a thoracic vertebral location.
14 . The method of claim 1 wherein an amplitude of the therapy signal is in an amplitude range of 0.5 milliamps to 10 milliamps.
15 . The method of claim 1 wherein a pulse width of the therapy signal is in a pulse width range of 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds.
16 . A method for treating a patient, comprising:
receiving a diagnosis for the patient corresponding to a somatosensory dysfunction, and/or a motor dysfunction, resulting from neuropathy and/or spinal cord injury; and
in response to the diagnosis, directing an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region to address the patient's somatosensory dysfunction and/or motor dysfunction, the therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction includes at least partially improving the patient's ability to detect pain.
18 . The method of claim 17 wherein addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction includes restoring the patient's sensation of pin prick.
19 . The method of claim 16 wherein the therapy signal is directed to the patient to reduce or inhibit patient pain in addition to addressing the patient's non-pain somatosensory dysfunction.
20 . The method of claim 16 wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat peripheral polyneuropathy in the patient.
21 . The method of claim 16 wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat diabetic neuropathy.
22 . The method of claim 16 wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes dysesthesia.
23 . The method of claim 16 wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes foot numbness.
24 . The method of claim 16 wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes an inability on the part of the patient to feel the patient's foot.
25 . The method of claim 16 wherein addressing motor dysfunction includes reducing spasticity.
26 . The method of claim 16 wherein the frequency is 10 kHz.
27 . The method of claim 16 wherein the therapy signal is directed to the spinal cord from at least one epidural electrical contact.
28 . A method for treating a patient, comprising:
addressing the patient's peripheral neuropathy by directing an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region, the therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.
29 . The method of claim 28 wherein the peripheral neuropathy includes peripheral polyneuropathy.
30 . The method of claim 28 wherein the peripheral neuropathy includes diabetic neuropathy.
31 . The method of claim 28 wherein the peripheral neuropathy affects sensation in the patient's foot, leg, hand, and/or arm.
32 . The method of claim 28 wherein the therapy signal is directed to the patient's spinal cord from at least one epidural electrical contact.
33 . A method for treating a patient, comprising:
receiving a diagnosis for the patient corresponding to an indication of peripheral neuropathy; and
addressing the patient's peripheral neuropathy by directing an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region, the therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.
34 . The method of claim 34 wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat peripheral polyneuropathy in the patient.
35 . The method of claim 34 wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat diabetic neuropathy.
36 . The method of claim 34 wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat neuropathy in the patient's foot, leg, hand, and/or arm.
37 . The method of claim 34 wherein the therapy signal is directed to the patient's spinal cord from at least one epidural electrical contact.