Method for treating diarrhea and reducing Bristol stool scores using a vibrating ingestible capsule

1. A method of treating diarrhea in a human subject suffering from diarrhea,

the method comprising:

(a) providing, to the human subject suffering from diarrhea, a vibrating gastrointestinal capsule adapted to transit an alimentary canal of a human, said vibrating gastrointestinal capsule having:

a housing;

a battery, disposed within said housing; and

a vibrating agitation mechanism, powered by said battery, said vibrating agitation mechanism adapted such that, in a first vibrating mode of operation, said housing exerts vibrations on an environment surrounding said capsule;

(b) ingesting, by the human subject suffering from diarrhea, said vibrating gastrointestinal capsule, to treat said diarrhea; and

(c) controlling said vibrating agitation mechanism such that said first vibrating mode of operation occurs while said capsule is traversing a portion of a gastrointestinal tract of the human subject and such that in said first vibrating mode of operation said vibrating agitation mechanism is configured to exert the vibrations within a range of 150 Hz to 500 Hz, so as to treat, reduce, or alleviate diarrhea in said human subject.

2. The method of claim 1 , said controlling including pre-setting an activation time delay of said capsule, prior to said ingesting.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the subject is a particular subject and wherein said pre-setting of said activation time delay is according to a measured or estimated transit time of chyme along said gastrointestinal tract of said particular subject.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a subject who has experienced at least three loose bowel movements daily for at least two weeks preceding treatment.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a subject who has experienced at least one loose bowel movement daily for at least one week preceding treatment.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said subject suffers from at least one of:

irritable bowel syndrome;

inflammatory bowel disease;

Crohn's disease;

ulcerative colitis;

intestinal infections;

hyperthyroidism;

at least one food allergy;

at least one food intolerance;

substance abuse; and

diabetes.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said ingesting and controlling together form a treatment session, and wherein said method includes administering to the subject at least one said treatment session.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said administering to the subject at least one treatment session includes administering to the subject a plurality of treatment sessions.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said administering a plurality of treatment sessions includes administering at least one said treatment session per week, over a treatment period of at least two weeks.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said administering at least one treatment session per week includes administering 1 to 7 treatment sessions per week.

11. A method of reducing a Bristol stool score of fecal matter defecated by a human subject,

the method comprising:

(a) providing, to the human subject, a vibrating gastrointestinal capsule adapted to transit an alimentary canal of a human, said vibrating gastrointestinal capsule having:

a housing;

a battery, disposed within said housing; and

a vibrating agitation mechanism, powered by said battery, said vibrating agitation mechanism adapted such that, in a first vibrating mode of operation, said housing exerts vibrations on an environment surrounding said capsule;

(b) ingesting, by the human subject, said vibrating gastrointestinal capsule; and

(c) controlling said vibrating agitation mechanism such that said first vibrating mode of operation occurs while said capsule is traversing a portion of a gastrointestinal tract of human the subject and such that in said first vibrating mode of operation said vibrating agitation mechanism is configured to exert the vibrations within a range of 150 Hz to 500 Hz, so as to reduce the Bristol stool score of the fecal matter defecated by the subject.

12. The method of claim 11 , said controlling including pre-setting an activation time delay of said capsule, prior to said ingesting.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the subject is a particular subject and wherein said pre-setting of said activation time delay is according to a measured or estimated transit time of chyme along said gastrointestinal tract of said particular subject.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein prior to said method, said fecal matter has a Bristol stool score of at least 5.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the subject is a subject who has experienced at least three loose bowel movements daily for at least two weeks preceding treatment.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the subject is a subject who has experienced at least one loose bowel movement daily for at least one week preceding treatment.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein said subject suffers from at least one of:

irritable bowel syndrome;

inflammatory bowel disease;

Crohn's disease;

ulcerative colitis;

intestinal infections;

hyperthyroidism;

at least one food allergy;

at least one food intolerance;

substance abuse; and

diabetes.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein said ingesting and controlling together form a treatment session, and wherein said method includes administering to the subject at least one said treatment session.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein said administering to the subject at least one treatment session includes administering to the subject a plurality of treatment sessions.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said administering a plurality of treatment sessions includes administering 1 to 7 said treatment sessions per week, over a treatment period of at least two weeks.