Methods and systems for stimulating a nerve originating in an upper cervical spine area to treat a medical condition

A system for treating a medical condition of a patient, said system comprising:

• a system control unit configured to be implanted at least partially within a patient and to generate at least one stimulus in accordance with one or more stimulation parameters configured to treat said medical condition;
• a programmable memory unit in communication with said system control unit and programmed to store said one or more stimulation parameters to at least partially define said at least one stimulus such that said at least one stimulus is configured to treat said medical disorder when applied to a target nerve originating in an upper cervical spine area of said patient;
• and
• means, operably connected to said system control unit, for applying said stimulus to said target nerve;
• wherein said medical condition comprises at least one or more of an autoimmune disease, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism.

A method of treating a medical disorder, said method comprising:

• implanting a system control unit within a patient;
• programming said system control unit with one or more stimulation parameters configured to treat said medical disorder;
• and
• applying an electrical stimulation current with said system control unit to a nerve originating in an upper cervical spine area of said patient in accordance with said one or more stimulation parameters;
• wherein said medical condition comprises at least one or more of an autoimmune disease, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism.