Devices and methods for nerve stimulation
Methods and devices for stimulating a nerve in a patient include emitting an electrical signal near a target nerve within the patient. The electrical signal comprises bursts of about 2 to about 20 pulses and the pulses oscillate between a positive voltage and a negative voltage within each burst.
1. A method comprising:
generating an electrical signal within a housing having a lead extending therefrom, wherein the electrical signal generated within the housing comprises bursts of pulses, wherein each burst of pulses comprises a burst period and a constant period, wherein the signal includes 2 pulses to 20 pulses within each burst period, wherein the signal includes zero pulses within each constant period, wherein each burst period and constant period together have a combined frequency from about 15 Hz to about 50 Hz, and, wherein the pulses alternate between a positive voltage and a negative voltage within each of the burst periods;
positioning the lead near, or in operational proximity to, a spinal nerve within a patient; and
emitting the electrical signal via the lead towards the spinal nerve such that the patient experiences at least some pain relief.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pulses comprise a full sinusoidal wave.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pulses are not emitted during the constant periods.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising suspending the pulses during the constant periods.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lead includes an electrode, and further comprising positioning the electrode near, or in operational proximity to, the spinal nerve and applying a voltage to the electrode such that an electric field is created at or near the spinal nerve.
6. The method of claim 5 further comprising varying the voltage such that a charge of the electric field emitted during each of the burst period alternates between positive and negative.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the electric field emitted during the constant periods has a magnitude of zero.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the pulses has a duration of about 50 microseconds to about 1,000 microseconds.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the pulses has a duration of about 100 to about 400 microseconds.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the burst periods each comprise 4 pulses to 10 pulses.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein emitting an electrical signal comprises positioning an electrode in operational proximity to the spinal nerve, and delivering a sufficient amount of the electrical signal such that the patient experiences at least some pain relief.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the burst periods each have a duration of less than about 20,000 microseconds.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the burst periods each have a duration of less than about 2,000 microseconds.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the burst periods each have a duration of about 1,000 microseconds.
15. A device comprising:
a housing;
a lead extending from the housing, wherein the lead is configured to be positioned near, or in operational proximity to, a spinal nerve;
a source of energy positioned within the housing, wherein the source of energy is operably coupled to the lead; and
a signal generator configured for generating an electrical signal comprising burst of pulses, wherein each burst of pulses comprises a burst period and a constant period, wherein the signal includes 2 pulses to 20 pulses within each burst period, wherein the signal includes zero pulses within each constant period, wherein each burst period and constant period together have a combined frequency from about 15 Hz to about 50 Hz and wherein the source of energy alternates the pulses between a positive voltage and a negative voltage within each of the burst periods; and
wherein the source of energy is configured to emit the electrical signal via the lead towards a target area of the spinal nerve such that a patient experiences at least some pain relief.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the pulses are not emitted during the constant periods.
17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the lead includes an electrode, wherein the source of energy applies a voltage to the electrodes such that an electric field is created at or near the spinal nerve.
18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the source of energy varies the voltage such that a charge of the electric field emitted during each of the burst periods alternates between positive and negative.
19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the electric field emitted during each constant period has a magnitude of zero.
20. The device of claim 18 , wherein each of the pulses has a duration of about 50 microseconds to about 1,000 microseconds.
21. The device of claim 15 , wherein the lead includes an electrode, wherein the electrode is configured to be positioned in operational proximity to the spinal nerve, and the source of energy delivers a sufficient amount of the electrical signal such that the patient experiences at least some pain relief.