A series of devices for medical, therapeutic and odontological treatments, which employ impulse-therapy or transcutaneous nervous electrostimulation as a means of physical, rational and non-invasive relaxation of specific muscle areas; the developed basic electrostimulating device consists of a triangular signal generator, followed by an amplifier, which is connected to a modulation controller. A squared signal generator is connected to a first stage conditioner which, in turn, is connected in parallel to a frequency divider, to a final amplifier, and to another second stage signal conditioner, and another final amplifier follows the latter. The referred frequency divider is also connected to a third stage signal conditioner through a key of three positions (A, B, C) which provides for varied frequency settings. A third stage signal conditioner is connected to a low frequency signal controller.
An apparatus (22) for applying a therapeutic signal (31) to the scalp (32) of a subject (20) includes a first electrode (26) for massaging the scalp (32) and second electrode (30) in contact with the subject (20) and located remote from the first electrode (26). The therapeutic signal (31), passing between the first and second electrodes (26, 30) through the scalp (32), serves to loosen connective tissue and improve blood circulation in the scalp. The apparatus (22) includes digital waveform generators (54) for generating harmonically non-related resultant signals (96). The resultant signals (96) are combined to form the therapeutic signal (31) exhibiting a pseudorandom signal characteristic.
An apparatus for applying electrical current to biological tissue such as skin, bone or muscle. A portable housing can be powered with a battery or attached cord leading to an alternating current or direct current power supply. An extendible arm permits a person to apply the treatment without assistance, and the housing can be operated with a single hand. An amplifier generates a high voltage direct current, and a controller generates a high quality square waveform output. Such waveform comprises an output to an electrode assembly in electrical contact with the biological tissue. The electrode assembly comprises at least one negative electrode and at least one positive electrode which generate an electric current through the biological tissue between the positive and negative electrodes. The electrode assembly is movable relative to the biological tissue so that the current path is continually changing. The electrode assembly can comprise a plurality of negative and positive electrodes to create multiple current paths through the biological tissue. The controller can selectively modify output signal functions such as the amplitude, pulse rate, pulse sweep, frequency, and frequency sweep rate to provide different electrical currents to the biological tissue during operation. A display engaged with the controller indicates the output signal functions and provides controls for selectively modifying the output signal function.
An apparatus and method for preventing the formation of a herpes lesion by applying an electrical stimulation to the prodromal herpes lesion. The electrical stimulation apparatus is configured to be small enough to be hand portable and, preferably, concealable within the hand to accommodate treating the prodromal lesion at the onset of the formation of the prodromal lesion at any time and under any circumstance. The electrical stimulation is applied as an alternating current having a frequency range between one and 600 Hz. The alternating current is supplied with one of a square wave, a modified biphasic square wave, or a sine wave and between one and 100 milliamperes for a period of time up to 20 seconds.
A therapeutic device including a voltage adjustment for outputting an adjusted AC signal to a load. The adjusted AC signal has an amplitude between 0 and 100 volts and a low commercial frequency. To create and output this signal, the device accepts an input voltage from a commercially available power supply and uses a pair of contact electrodes attached to two arbitrarily selected points on the load. The device has an electrical current setting circuit which assigns a prescribed current set value between the selected points. The actual therapeutic electric current applied between these points is a function of the setting of the voltage adjustment and of the load resistance between these points. A comparing circuit in the therapeutic device compares the therapeutic electric current flowing between the two points with the prescribed current set value. If the therapeutic electric current is larger than the prescribed current set value, then the comparing circuit causes an output switch to interrupt the supply of the adjusted voltage to the pair of contact electrodes. In the specified embodiments of this device, the load between the contact electrodes includes a series connection between a therapist and a patient.
In the field of electrotherapy, there are currently known devices and methods, in which either the frequency or the amplitude of a therapeutic current is varied. According to a representation of the amplitude on a logarithmic frequency scale, said methods are designated correspondingly as methods of vertical or horizontal stimulation. Various advantages and disadvantages are associated with both methods. The invention relates to a device for carrying out an electrotherapeutic method, according to which the amplitude (A) and the frequency (f) of the therapeutic current (i.sub.B) are simultaneously varied within a therapeutic frequency band (f.sub.B), which lies in the medium frequency range, in such a way that the method is carried out in discrete frequency steps, either in the range of different frequencies lying just below a stimulation threshold (RS), or periodically between a stimulation that lies above the threshold and a stimulation that lies below said threshold.
