SPHERICAL VIBRATING PROBE APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONDUCTING EFFICACY ANALYSIS OF PAIN TREATMENT USING PROBE APPARATUS

摘要

A patient treatment unit and method analyzes and treats pain in tissues by applying an electrical pulse train and a galvanically isolated stimulus voltage to affected tissues using vibrating spherical tip probes. A range of probe diameters is used to provide a range of applied current densities. The impedance of the affected tissue is measured, tracked, and correlated to a level of pain while treatment is in progress. Impedance is used as real-time feedback, and current and voltage applications are adjusted accordingly. A patient treatment unit includes a probe stimulus generator connected to the spherically tipped probes. The unit further includes an impedance analysis circuit that senses voltage and current via the probes when they are contacting the patient. A monitor is electrically coupled to the body impedance analysis circuit and provides an indication of the measured impedance indicative of the patient's level of pain.