High frequency stimulation for treating sensory and/or motor deficits in patients with spinal cord injuries and/or peripheral polyneuropathy, and associated systems and methods

Abstract

High frequency stimulation for treating sensory and/or motor deficits in patients with spinal cord injuries and/or peripheral polyneuropathy, and associated systems and methods. A representative method includes addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction and/or motor dysfunction, resulting from neuropathy and/or spinal cord injury, by directing an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region, the therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.

I/we claim: 
     
         1 . A method for treating a patient, comprising:
 addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction and/or motor dysfunction, resulting from neuropathy and/or spinal cord injury, by directing an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region, the therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction includes at least partially improving the patient's ability to detect pain. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction includes restoring the patient's sensation of pin prick. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the therapy signal is directed to the patient to reduce or inhibit patient pain in addition to addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat peripheral polyneuropathy in the patient. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat diabetic neuropathy. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes dysesthesia. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes foot numbness. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes an inability on the part of the patient to feel the patient's foot. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein addressing motor dysfunction includes reducing spasticity. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the frequency is 10 kHz. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the therapy signal is directed to the spinal cord from at least one epidural electrical contact. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the therapy signal is directed from at least one electrical contact having a thoracic vertebral location. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein an amplitude of the therapy signal is in an amplitude range of 0.5 milliamps to 10 milliamps. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a pulse width of the therapy signal is in a pulse width range of 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds. 
     
     
         16 . A method for treating a patient, comprising:
 receiving a diagnosis for the patient corresponding to a somatosensory dysfunction, and/or a motor dysfunction, resulting from neuropathy and/or spinal cord injury; and   in response to the diagnosis, directing an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region to address the patient's somatosensory dysfunction and/or motor dysfunction, the therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction includes at least partially improving the patient's ability to detect pain. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein addressing the patient's somatosensory dysfunction includes restoring the patient's sensation of pin prick. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the therapy signal is directed to the patient to reduce or inhibit patient pain in addition to addressing the patient's non-pain somatosensory dysfunction. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat peripheral polyneuropathy in the patient. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat diabetic neuropathy. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes dysesthesia. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes foot numbness. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the somatosensory dysfunction includes an inability on the part of the patient to feel the patient's foot. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16  wherein addressing motor dysfunction includes reducing spasticity. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the frequency is 10 kHz. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the therapy signal is directed to the spinal cord from at least one epidural electrical contact. 
     
     
         28 . A method for treating a patient, comprising:
 addressing the patient's peripheral neuropathy by directing an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region, the therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the peripheral neuropathy includes peripheral polyneuropathy. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the peripheral neuropathy includes diabetic neuropathy. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the peripheral neuropathy affects sensation in the patient's foot, leg, hand, and/or arm. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the therapy signal is directed to the patient's spinal cord from at least one epidural electrical contact. 
     
     
         33 . A method for treating a patient, comprising:
 receiving a diagnosis for the patient corresponding to an indication of peripheral neuropathy; and   addressing the patient's peripheral neuropathy by directing an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region, the therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat peripheral polyneuropathy in the patient. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat diabetic neuropathy. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the electrical signal is delivered to the patient to treat neuropathy in the patient's foot, leg, hand, and/or arm. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the therapy signal is directed to the patient's spinal cord from at least one epidural electrical contact.