Devices and methods for delivery of electrical current for pain relief

A method of treating pain comprising:

• deploying an electrode outside of a central nervous system;
• altering transmission of action potentials in peripheral nerve tissue;
• changing a probability of action potentials occurring through application of electrical stimulation via the electrode;
• changing excitability of at least one nerve of said peripheral nerve tissue through the application of the electrical stimulation via the electrode;
• and
• changing conduction velocity, shape, or interpulse interval of action potentials through the application of the electrical stimulation via the electrode-wherein the electrical current does not block or interrupt efferent signals and motor nerve signals.

A method of treating pain comprising:

• deploying an electrode into tissue outside of a central nervous system;
• delivering electric current to a peripheral nerve tissue via the electrode;
• altering transmission and production of action potentials in the peripheral nerve tissue without directly stimulating an action potential in the peripheral nerve tissue;
• changing probability of action potentials occurring through application of the electric current;
• changing excitability of at least one nerve through application of the electric current;
• and
• changing conduction velocity, shape, interpulse interval of action potentials through application of the electric current and wherein the electrical current does not block or interrupt efferent signals and motor nerve signals.

A system comprising:

• an electrode configured to be deployed outside of a central nervous system;
• an electrical pulse generator operatively coupled with the electrode, wherein the electrical pulse generator is configured to alter transmission and production of action potentials in peripheral nerve tissue, by delivering electric current through the electrode to the peripheral nerve tissue and without directly stimulating an action potential in the peripheral nerve tissue;
• wherein delivery of the electric current by the electrical pulse generator:
• (i) changes probability of action potentials occurring as result of the delivery of the electric current, (ii) changes excitability of at least one nerve as result of the electric current, and (iii) changes conduction velocity, shape, or interpulse interval of action potentials and wherein the electrical current does not block or interrupt efferent signals and motor nerve signals.