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US 8,147,533 B2Granted
Device and method for the reduction of pain associated with needle sticks
AssigneeMmj Labs, LLC
InventorsAmy L. Baxter, Louis A. Calderon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device that is used to reduce the pain of a needle stick to a person, the device having a casing containing a vibratory device and a temperature reducing device, and a method for using the device to reduce the pain of a needle stick by applying both thermal and vibration analgesia to a subject during a needle stick.
Claims22
A device for reducing acute pain in a subject, comprising:
- a) a casing comprising an application area constructed to directly contact a subject's skin;
- b) a thermal source contained within the casing, the thermal source capable of being cooled;
- c) a vibrational source contained within the casing, the vibrational source capable of producing vibration;
- d) a switch secured to the casing and in operative communication with the vibrational source for selectively activating the vibrational source;
- and
- e) a strap for securing the casing such that the application area is spaced a predetermined distance from a site of acute pain in the subject,
- wherein the application area is constructed to transmit cold from the thermal source to the subject's skin and to transmit vibration from the vibrational source to the subject's skin,
- whereby the combination of the cold and vibration transmitted through the application area is configured to produce a thermal analgesia and vibrational analgesia effect on the subject so as to reduce the acute pain in the subject.
5 more elements
A method for reducing acute pain in a subject, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a device comprising:
- a casing having an application area constructed to directly contact the subject's skin;
- a vibrational source contained within the casing, the vibrational source capable of producing vibration;
- a switch secured to the casing and in operative communication with the vibrational source;
- and
- a strap for securing the casing to the subject;
- b) cooling a thermal source to a desired temperature;
- c) positioning the cooled thermal source within the casing;
- d) securing the strap to the subject such that the application area contacts the subject's skin at a desired location, the desired location being spaced a predetermined distance from an injection site on the subject's skin;
- e) activating the vibrational source using the switch;
- and
- f) maintaining the thermal source and the vibrational source at the desired location for a time period prior to and during the application of a needle to the injection site,
- wherein the application area is constructed to transmit cold from the thermal source to the subject's skin and to transmit vibration from the vibrational source to the subject's skin, and
- whereby the combination of cold and vibration transmitted through the application area is configured to produce a thermal analgesia and vibrational analgesia effect on the subject so as to reduce the acute pain in the subject.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.