Method and apparatus for reduction of pain from electric stimulation therapies

A medical therapeutic apparatus, comprising:

• (a) at least one transmission element adapted for connection to a patent's body, said at least one transmission element including a speaker device;
• (b) a pulse generator coupled to said at least one transmission element;
• and
• (c) a controller coupled to said pulse generator and to said at least one transmission element for applying, via said at least one transmission element, an alternating series of (i) a preceding stimulus, including an auditory stimulus, to the patient's body and for applying, via said at least one transmission element, (ii) a painful therapeutic stimulus to the patient's body a predetermined time period after application of said preceding stimulus, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said series of painful therapeutic stimuli as being reduced.

A therapeutic method, comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a preceding stimulus to a patient's body;
• (b) waiting a first predetermined time period selected from the group of time periods consisting of a second, a minute, an hour, a day, a week, and a month;
• (c) applying a painful stimulus to the patient's body, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said painful stimulus as being reduced;
• and
• (d) continuing steps (a) through (c) for a second predetermined time period.

A therapeutic method, comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a preceding stimulus to a patient's body for a duration from 1 millisecond to 10 milliseconds;
• (b) waiting a first predetermined time period;
• (c) applying a painful stimulus to the patient's body, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said painful stimulus as being reduced;
• and
• (d) continuing steps (a) through (c) for a second predetermined time period.

A therapeutic method, comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a preceding auditory stimulus at an intensity from 0.1 dB(A) to 100 dB(A) above existing ambient noise level, to a patient's body;
• (b) waiting a first predetermined time period;
• (c) applying a painful stimulus to the patient's body, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said painful stimulus as being reduced;
• and
• (d) continuing steps (a) through (c) for a second predetermined time period.

A therapeutic method, comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a preceding auditory stimulus at an intensity from 5 dB(A) to 15 dB(A) above existing ambient noise level, to a patient's body;
• (b) waiting a first predetermined time period;
• (c) applying a painful stimulus to the patient's body, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said painful stimulus as being reduced;
• and
• (d) continuing steps (a) through (c) for a second predetermined time period.

A therapeutic method, comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a preceding stimulus to a patient's body;
• (b) waiting a first predetermined time period;
• (c) applying a painful stimulus to the patient's body, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said painful stimulus as being reduced, said preceding stimulus and said painful stimulus having different sensory modalities;
• and
• (d) continuing steps (a) thio ugh (c) for a second predetermined time period.

A therapeutic method, comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a preceding stimulus to a patient's body;
• (b) waiting a first predetermined time period;
• (c) applying a painful stimulus to the patient's body, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said painful stimulus as being reduced, wherein said step of applying said preceding stimulus includes at least one first stimulus which has a sensory modality which is the same as that of said painful stimulus and at least one second stimulus that has a different sensory modality than that of said painful stimulus;
• and
• (d) continuing steps (a) through (c) for a second predetermined time period.

A therapeutic method for pretreating a patient prior to a painful electrical stimulus for treatment of a cardiac arrhythmia of the patient, comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a preceding stimulus to a patient's body, said preceding stimulus being an auditory prepulse adapted to be audible by the patient;
• (b) waiting a first predetermined time period;
• (c) applying a painful electrical stimulus to the patient's body to treat the patient's arrhythmia, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said painful stimulus as being reduced;
• and
• (d) continuing steps (a) through (c) for a second predetermined time period.

A therapeutic method for pretreating a patient prior to a painful electrical stimulus for treatment of a cardiac arrhythmia of the patient, comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying a preceding stimulus to a patient's body, said preceding stimulus being an vibro-tactile prepulse adapted to be felt by the patient;
• (b) waiting a first predetermined time period;
• (c) applying a painful electrical stimulus to the patient's body to treat the patient's arrhythmia, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said painful stimulus as being reduced;
• and
• (d) continuing steps (a) through (c) for a second predetermined time period.

A therapeutic method used for pretreating a patient prior to a painful electrical stimulus for treatment of a cardiac arrhythmia of said patient, comprising the steps of:

• (a) preparing a first energy source and circuitry to deliver a relatively large painful electrical stimulus to treat an arrhythmia of said patient;
• (b) preparing a second energy source and circuitry, which are unitary with said first energy source and circuitry, to deliver a preceding, relatively small electrical stimulus;
• (c) applying said preceding stimulus to said patient's body;
• (d) waiting a first predetermined time period;
• (e) applying said painful stimulus to said patient's body, whereby said patient perceives pain associated with said painful stimulus as being reduced;
• and
• (f) continuing steps (a) through (c) for a second predetermined time period.

A medical therapeutic apparatus, comprising:

• (a) at least one transmission element adapted for connection to a patent's body, said at least one transmission element including a vibrator device;
• (b) a pulse generator coupled to said at least one transmission element;
• and
• (c) a controller coupled to said pulse generator and to said at least one transmission element for applying, via said at least one transmission element, an alternating series of (i) a preceding stimulus, including a vibro-tactile stimulus, to the patient's body and for applying, via said at least one transmission element, (ii) a painful therapeutic stimulus to the patient's body a predetermined time period after application of said preceding stimulus, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said series of painful therapeutic stimuli as being reduced.

A medical therapeutic apparatus, comprising:

• (a) at least one transmission element adapted for connection to a patent's body;
• (b) a pulse generator coupled to said at least one transmission element;
• and
• (c) a controller coupled to said pulse generator and to said at least one transmission element for applying, via said at least one transmission element, an alternating series of (i) a preceding stimulus to the patient's body and for applying, via said at least one transmission element, (ii) a painful therapeutic stimulus comprising a transcutaneous cardiac pacing pulse to the patient's body a predetermined time period after application of said preceding stimulus, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said series of painful therapeutic stimuli as being reduced.

A medical therapeutic apparatus, comprising;

• (a) at least one transmission element adapted for connection to a patent's body;
• (b) a pulse generator coupled to said at least one transmission element;
• and
• (c) a controller coupled to said pulse generator and to said at least one transmission element for applying, via said at least one transmission element, an alternating series of (i) a preceding stimulus to the patient's body and for applying, via said at least one transmission element, (ii) a painful therapeutic stimulus comprising a transesophageal cardiac pacing pulse to the patient's body a predetermined time period after application of said preceding stimulus, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said series of painful therapeutic stimuli as being reduced.

A medical therapeutic apparatus, comprising:

• (a) at least one transmission element adapted for connection to a patent's body;
• (b) a pulse generator coupled to said at least one transmission element;
• and
• (c) a controller coupled to said pulse generator and to said at least one transmission element for applying, via said at least one transmission element, an alternating series of (i) a preceding stimulus to the patient's body and for applying, via said at least one transmission element, (ii) a painful therapeutic stimulus to the patient's body a predetermined time period after application of said preceding stimulus, said preceding stimulus and said painful therapeutic stimulus having different sensory modalities, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said series of painful therapeutic stimuli as being reduced.

A medical therapeutic apparatus, comprising:

• (a) at least one transmission element adapted for connection to a patent's body;
• (b) a pulse generator coupled to said at least one transmission element;
• and
• (c) a controller coupled to said pulse generator and to said at least one transmission element for applying, via said at least one transmission element, an alternating series of (i) a preceding stimulus to the patient's body and for applying, via said at least one transmission element, (ii) a painful therapeutic stimulus to the patient's body a predetermined time period after application of said preceding stimulus, wherein said preceding stimulus includes a stimulus which has the same sensory modality as that of said painful therapeutic stimulus and a stimulus which has a different sensory modality than that of said painful therapeutic stimulus, whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said series of painful therapeutic stimuli as being reduced.

A medical therapeutic apparatus, comprising:

• (a) at least one transmission element adapted for connection to a patent's body;
• (b) a pulse generator coupled to said at least one transmission element, said pulse generator including (i) a first energy source for applying a painful therapeutic electrical stimulus, and (ii) a second energy source for applying a preceding electrical stimulus, said first energy source and said second energy being unitary;
• and
• (c) a controller coupled to said pulse generator and to said at least one transmission element for applying, via said at least one transmission element, an alternating series of (i) a preceding stimulus to the patient's body and for applying, via said at least one transmission element, (ii) a painful therapeutic stimulus to the patient's body a predetermined time period after application of said preceding stimulus, whereby said electrical preceding stimulus is delivered using the same energy source and circuitry as said electrical painful therapeutic stimulus, and whereby the patient perceives pain associated with said series of painful therapeutic stimuli as being reduced.