Electro therapy method and apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for providing therapeutic electric current to a treatment site of a patient is disclosed, which provides two oscillating or pulsing electric alternating currents, of frequencies which differ from each other by as little as 1 Hz and up to about 250 Hz, but each being of frequency at least about 1 KHz. The apparatus requires only one feed electrode adapted to feed the electric currents to selected feed sites on or beneath the epidermal or mucous surface of the patient, and only one return electrode adapted to be positioned on or beneath the epidermal or mucous surface of the patient, locally to the treatment site. The apparatus includes a feedback subsystem to detect impedance changes in the patient and accordingly adjust the output of the apparatus.

1 . An electro-therapy apparatus for providing therapeutic electric energy to a patient, comprising: 
 electrical circuitry configured to produce a plurality of signals;    a single feed electrode connected to the electrical circuitry; and    at least one return electrode connected to the electrical circuitry;    wherein the plurality of signals are applied to the patient through the single feed electrode and the at least one return electrode, creating said therapeutic electric energy in said patient.    
   
   
       2 . The electrotherapy apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to reduce a direct current component of at least one of said plurality of signals or said therapeutic electric energy.  
   
   
       3 . The electro-therapy apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a feedback system configured to monitor at least one of a voltage and a current produced by the apparatus, and to control at least one signal of the plurality of signals in response thereto.  
   
   
       4 . The electro-therapy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single feed electrode comprises a single feed electrode pad attached to the patient, and the at least one return electrode comprises a second electrode pad attached to the patient.  
   
   
       5 . The electro-therapy apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein a ratio of an area of the single feed electrode pad to an area of the second electrode pad is about 1:1.  
   
   
       6 . The electro-therapy apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein a ratio of an area of the single feed electrode pad to an area of the second electrode pad is at least 2:1.  
   
   
       7 . The electro-therapy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the single feed electrode comprises more than one electrode pad electrically connected together and attached to the patient.  
   
   
       8 . The electro-therapy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein two of the plurality of signals are sinusoidal alternating electric currents having a frequency difference of between 1 Hz and 250 Hz, and each of the two signals has a frequency of at least about 1 KHz.  
   
   
       9 . The electro-therapy apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein two of said plurality of signals have a frequency difference of between 80 and 130 Hz.  
   
   
       10 . The electrotherapy apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein two of said plurality of signals have a frequency difference of about 122 Hz.  
   
   
       11 . The electro-therapy apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein frequency of a first signal in said plurality of signals is fixed.  
   
   
       12 . The electro-therapy apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein frequency of a second signal in said plurality of signals is variable.  
   
   
       13 . A method of providing therapeutic electric energy to reduce pain at a treatment site of a patient's body, the method comprising: 
 generating a plurality of electrical signals;    positioning a single feed electrode pad on a first portion of the patient's body and positioning a return electrode pad on a second portion of the patient's body such that the single feed electrode pad and the return electrode pad are positioned on opposite sides of a volume of tissue of the patient's body, and the treatment site is located on a line vector between the single feed electrode pad and the return electrode pad; and    applying the plurality of electrical signals through said single feed electrode pad.    
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising the step of individually applying a first and second signal in said plurality of electrical signals to the single feed electrode pad.  
   
   
       15 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising electronically summing a first and second signal in said plurality of electrical signals prior to applying the plurality of signals.  
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein two signals of the plurality of electrical signals are sinusoidal alternating current signals having a frequency difference of between 1 Hz and 250 Hz, and each of the two signals has a frequency at least about 1 KHz.  
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising filtering the plurality of signals to reduce a direct current component.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising monitoring at least one of a current and a voltage and controlling a signal in the plurality of electrical signals in response thereto.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising monitoring and controlling a voltage on at least one of the single feed electrode pad and the return electrode pad.  
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising positioning a plurality of feed electrode pads on the patient's body and switching the plurality of signals to only one of said plurality of feed electrode pads at any given instant.  
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 20 , comprising switching between said plurality of feed electrode pads when an amplitude of the plurality of electrical signals is zero.  
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 20 , comprising switching between said plurality of feed electrode pads at a rate of 10-50 Hz.  
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the treatment site comprises at least one of bone and cartilage.  
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the treatment site comprises muscle.