Method and apparatus for the treatment of headache

Abstract

A battery-operated transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) to treat headache pain in an abortive and/or preventive manner. The TENS unit and its electrodes are built into a unitary device which facilitates a self-administered treatment. In some embodiments, the pulses are monophasic. In other embodiments, pairs of biphasic pulses are provided, wherein each pair of biphasic pulses includes a first pulse having a first polarity separated by a gap in time from a second pulsed having an opposite polarity. In some embodiments, each pulse in each biphasic pair is of a duration equal to that of the other pulse of the pair. In some embodiments, the duration of each pulse is between about 50 microseconds and about 400 microseconds, and the gap in time between pulses of a pair is between about 50 and 100 microseconds.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for treating a headache of a patient, the method comprising:
 providing a portable head-band-mounted, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS) having:
 a first electrode set having a plurality of non-invasive comb-like electrodes physically connected to a common electrode base and each electrically connected to a first signal output of the TENS, 
 a second electrode set having one or more non-invasive comb-like electrodes physically connected to the common electrode base, wherein the first electrode set and the second electrode set are configured to be simultaneously placed in contact with the patient's head, and wherein the second electrode set is electrically connected to a second signal output of the TENS, and 
 a headband-type assembly that, after it has been placed on the patient's head, provides hands-free operation that does not require further handling and secures the first electrode set and the second electrode set against the patient's head, such that the first electrode set is held against a first elongated posterior area of the patient's head, and the second electrode set is held against a second elongated posterior area of the patient's head, wherein the first area and the second area are in a cranial-caudal relationship to one another; 
   supporting, using the headband-type assembly, the head-band-mounted TENS on the patient's head such that the patient is free to move while stimulation is being applied;   receiving, by the TENS, an activation indication; and   based on the activation indication, providing a plurality of electrical pulses between the first signal output of the TENS and the second signal output of the TENS such that the electrical pulses are applied between the first area and the second area in a vertical caudal-cranial direction transcutaneously to the patient's head, wherein the plurality of electrical pulses are configured to be charge-balancing and short enough in duration to stimulate nerves of the patient while minimizing stimulation of muscle contraction, in order to treat headache pain.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the providing of the plurality of electrical pulses includes providing biphasic pairs of substantially square pulses, each pair of pulses including a first pulse having a first polarity and a duration of between about 50 microseconds and about 400 microseconds and, after a first gap-in-time delay of between about 50 microseconds and about 100 microseconds, a second, following, pulse having a second polarity, opposite the first polarity, and a duration of between about 50 microseconds and about 400 microseconds, and a second gap-in-time delay that is longer than the combined duration of the first pulse, first gap-in-time delay and second pulse. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the providing of the plurality of electrical pulses includes stimulating one or more of the nerve structures selected from the group consisting of the right greater occipital nerve, the left greater occipital nerve, the right least (third) occipital nerve, the left least (third) occipital nerve, the right lesser occipital nerve, the left lesser occipital nerve, the right great auricular nerve, and the left great auricular nerve.