# US 10,864,371 B2 · External stimulation of the cranial nerves

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- Number: US 10,864,371 B2
- Document ID: US10864371B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/180,119
- Filed: 2018-11-05
- Published: 2019-05-09
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2017-11-05
- Assignees: Nurelief, L.L.C.
- Applicants: Nurelief, L.L.C.
- Inventors: Jin Shimada; Harry A. Puryear
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864371B2

## CPC

- A61N 1/36021: {for treatment of pain}
- A61N 1/0456: {Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]}
- A61N 1/36034: {specified by the stimulation parameters}
- A61N 1/0476: {Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)}
- A61N 1/0492: {Patch electrodes (A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence)}
- A61N 1/36025: {for treating a mental or cerebral condition}
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)

## Abstract

Methods and devices for treating patients such as patients who suffer from migraine headaches including attaching electrodes of an electrical stimulation device to the patient bilaterally at a first location overlying a trigeminal nerve and at a second location overlying a second nerve, and then delivering electrical series of stimulation pulses to the patient, the stimulation pulses having a duration of between about 1 and about 20 microseconds, wherein the electrical stimulation device comprises a stimulation unit and a plurality of electrodes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of treating a patient comprising:
attaching electrodes of an electrical stimulation device to a patient bilaterally at a first location overlying a trigeminal nerve and at a second location overlying a second nerve, and then delivering electrical series of stimulation pulses to the patient, the stimulation pulses having a duration of between about 1 and about 10 microseconds,
wherein the electrical stimulation device comprises a stimulation unit and a plurality of electrodes.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the patient is suffering from a headache at the time of treatment.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the treatment is delivered prophylactically to reduce or prevent future headaches.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising adjusting an intensity of the electrical stimulation pulses as desired by the patient by increasing or decreasing an amplitude of the electrical stimulation pulses.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein delivering electrical stimulation pulses comprises delivering electrical pulses at a frequency of between about 1 and about 200 Hz.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein delivering electrical stimulation pulses comprises delivering electrical pulses at a frequency of between about 1 and about 100 Hz.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the trigeminal nerve comprises a superficial branch of the trigeminal nerve.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the first superficial branch of the trigeminal nerve comprises an auriculotemporal nerve.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein the first location comprises a temple of the patient.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the second nerve comprises a superficial peripheral nerve.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 wherein the second location comprises a location on a face of a patient at a jaw line and directly anterior to and below an earlobe of the patient.

### Claim 12

A method of treating a patient suffering from a migraine headache, the method comprising:
while the patient is suffering from a migraine headache, hanging an electrical stimulation unit from the patient's neck using a loop of flexible material attached to the electrical stimulation unit;
attaching electrodes of an electrical stimulation device to the patient bilaterally at a first location overlying a portion of an auriculotemporal nerve and at a second location overlying a second nerve, and then delivering a series of electrical stimulation pulses to the patient at a frequency of between about 1 and about 1000 Hz and at a pulse duration of between about 1 and about 10 microseconds, wherein the electrical stimulation device comprises a stimulation unit and a plurality of electrodes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 further comprising adjusting the electrical pulse duration and/or intensity during treatment.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the first location comprises a temple of the patient and the second location comprises a location on a face or neck of the patient.