Methods and devices for treating primary headache
AssigneeElectroCore, Inc.
InventorsBruce J. Simon, Joseph P. Errico, John T. Raffle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Non-invasive electrical nerve stimulation devices and magnetic stimulation devices are disclosed, along with methods of treating medical disorders using energy that is delivered noninvasively by such devices. The disorders comprise migraine and other primary headaches such as cluster headaches, including sinus symptoms that resemble an immune-mediated response (“sinus” headaches), irrespective of whether those symptoms arise from an allergy that is co-morbid with the headache. The disclosed methods may also be used to treat other disorders that may be co-morbid with migraine headaches, such as anxiety disorders.
Claims55
A device for treating a headache in a patient, the device comprising:
- a housing comprising an electrically permeable contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of the patient;
- and
- an energy source housed within the housing, wherein the energy source generates and transmits an electrical impulse through the outer skin surface of the patient to a nerve at a target region within the patient, wherein the electrical impulse is above a threshold for generating action potentials within fibers of a vagus nerve of the patient responsible for activating neural pathways causing a release of inhibitory neurotransmitters within a brain of the patient, wherein a sufficient level of the inhibitory neurotransmitters are released in the brain of the patient to reduce a level of glutamate in the brain of the patient and to at least partially relieve a pain associated with the headache in the patient.
A device for treating a headache in a patient, the device comprising:
- a housing comprising an electrically permeable contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of the patient;
- and
- an energy source housed within the housing, wherein the energy source generates and transmits an electric current through the outer skin surface of the patient to a nerve at a target region within the patient, wherein the electric current is above a threshold for generating action potentials within fibers of a vagus nerve of the patient responsible for activating neural pathways causing release of GABA within a brain of the patient and wherein the action potentials are sufficient to at least partially relieve a pain associated with the headache.
An apparatus for treating a primary headache in a patient, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing comprising an electrically permeable contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of the patient;
- a source of energy that generates an electric current within the housing and transmits the electric current through the outer skin surface of the patient to a vagus nerve of the patient, wherein the electric current comprises bursts of pulses with each of the bursts comprising a frequency from about 1 Hz to about 100 Hz and with each of the pulses comprising a duration from about 50 microseconds to about 1000 microseconds;
- and
- wherein the electric current is sufficient to generate an electric field at the vagus nerve, wherein the electric field is above a threshold for generating an action potential within a fiber of the vagus nerve, wherein the fiber is responsible for activating a neural pathway to cause a release of an inhibitory neurotransmitter within a brain of the patient to at least partially relieve one or more symptoms of the primary headache.
A device for treating a medical disorder in a patient, the device comprising:
- a housing comprising:
- an electrode,
- an electrically permeable contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of a neck of the patient, wherein the electrically permeable contact surface is coupled to the electrode, and
- a source of energy that generates an electric field sufficient to reduce a level of glutamate within a brain of the patient to at least partially relieve a symptom of the medical disorder, wherein the source of energy is coupled to the electrode, and positioned within the housing;
- and
- wherein the source of energy transmits an electric current non-invasively through the electrically permeable contact surface and the outer skin surface of the patient to a vague nerve of the patient, wherein the electric current is above a threshold for generating an action potential within a fiber of the vagus nerve responsible for activating a neural pathway causing a release of an inhibitory neurotransmitter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.