NON-INVASIVE NERVE STIMULATION TO TREAT DISORDERS
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for treating a variety of diseases and disorders. A device for treating a disorder in a patient comprises a housing having a contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of the patient and an energy source within the housing. The energy source is configured to transmit electrical impulses through the outer skin surface of the patient to a selected nerve within the patient. The electrical impulses include bursts of pulses having a burst frequency between 1 Hz and 5000 Hz and a burst duration between 100 microseconds and 20,000 microseconds.
1 . A device for treating a disorder in a patient comprising:
a housing having a contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of the patient; and
an energy source within the housing configured to transmit electrical impulses through the outer skin surface of the patient to a selected nerve within the patient, wherein the electrical impulses include bursts of pulses having a burst frequency between 1 Hz and 5000 Hz and a burst duration between 100 microseconds and 20,000 microseconds.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the burst duration is between 200 microseconds and 10,000 microseconds.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein each burst includes between 2 and 20 pulses, wherein each pulse has a duration of 200 to 400 microseconds, and wherein the burst duration is between 400 microseconds and 8,000 microseconds.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein pulses of the burst of pulses have a frequency of between about 1000 Hz and about 10,000 Hz, wherein the electrical impulses have a duty cycle of between about 0.1% and about 50%.
5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the duty cycle is between about 1% and about 10%.
6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the frequency is between about 4000 Hz and about 6000 Hz.
7 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the duty cycle is between about 2% and about 5%.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the burst frequency is between about 10 Hz and about 35 Hz.
9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the outer skin surface is on a neck of the patient.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the outer skin surface is on, or near, an ear of the patient.
11 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the selected nerve is a vagus nerve.
12 . A method for treating a disorder in a patient comprising:
contacting an outer skin surface of the patient with a housing comprising an energy source; and
transmitting one or more electrical impulses through the outer skin surface of the patient to a selected nerve within the patient, wherein the electrical impulses include bursts of pulses having a burst frequency between 1 Hz and 5000 Hz and a burst duration between 100 microseconds and 20,000 microseconds.
13 . The method of claim 12 . wherein the burst duration is between 200 microseconds and 10,000 microseconds.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each burst includes between 2 and 20 pulses, wherein each pulse has a duration of 200 to 400 microseconds, and wherein the burst duration is between 400 microseconds and 8,000 microseconds.
15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein pulses of the burst of pulses have a frequency of between about 1000 Hz and about 10,000 Hz, wherein the electrical impulses have a duty cycle of between about 0.1% and about 50%.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the duty cycle is between about 1% and about 10%.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the frequency is between about 4000 Hz and about 6000 Hz.
18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the duty cycle is between about 2% and about 5%.
19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the burst frequency is between about 10 Hz and about 35 Hz.
20 . The method of claim 12 . wherein the outer skin surface is on a neck of the patient.
21 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the outer skin surface is on, or near, an ear of the patient.
22 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the selected nerve is a vagus nerve.