Electrical stimulation apparatus and method

An apparatus for enabling a prescribing physician to selectively prescribe a predetermined prescription of electrical stimulation to a tissue of the patient comprising:

• a housing, said housing being configured to be hand portable;
• a first electrical circuit in said housing for emitting a pair of monopolar bursts of current having opposite polarity when said first electrical circuit is energized;
• a first battery in said housing, said first battery being operable to deliver electrical energy to said first electrical circuit;
• an electrode module removably mounted to said housing;
• a second electrical circuit in said electrode module, said second electrical circuit being electrically coupled to said first electrical circuit when said electrode module is mounted to said housing;
• electrodes on said electrode module, said electrodes extending outwardly from said electrode module to enable said electrodes to be placed in contact with the tissue of the patient, said electrodes being in electrical connection with said second electrical circuit;
• and
• programming means in said second electrical circuit for enabling the prescribing physician to selectively program said electrode module with said predetermined prescription of electrical stimulation for the tissue of the patient.

A method for providing electrical stimulation to tissue comprising the steps of:

• preparing a first electrical circuit operable to deliver said electrical stimulation;
• interconnecting a first battery to said first electrical circuit;
• enclosing said first electrical circuit and said first battery in a housing;
• and
• providing an electrode module for delivering said electrical stimulation to the tissue from said first electrical circuit, said electrode module being selectively mountable to said housing and containing preprogrammable means for programming said first electrical circuit when said electrode module is mounted to said housing in electrical connection to said first electrical circuit.

A method for providing a preselected electrical stimulation to the tissue of a patient comprising the steps of:

• preparing a first electrical circuit, said first electrical circuit including a first battery;
• enclosing said first electrical circuit in a housing, said housing being configured to be hand portable;
• assembling a second electrical circuit, said second electrical circuit including programming means for programming said second electrical circuit;
• placing said second electrical circuit in an electrode module;
• mounting a pair of electrodes to said electrode module in electrical communication with said second electrical circuit;
• programming said programming means in said second electrical circuit with a predetermined treatment protocol for said preselected electrical stimulation;
• coupling said second electrical circuit to said first electrical circuit;
• and
• activating said first electrical circuit and said second electrical circuit while contacting the tissue with said pair of electrodes thereby directing said preselected electrical stimulation to the tissue.