S P E C I F I C A T I O N
System for Helping People with Neck Pain, Headaches, or General Upper Body Tension CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.
62638138, entitled“The Re-Lax”, filed 3 March 2018, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to the field of medicine, and in particular relates to a medical system that provides relief for people suffering from neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
BACKGROUND
Numerous people around the world experience problems with neck pain, headaches, and general upper-body tension. These problems are typically attributed to the fact that many of the major muscles of the back and neck are connected at a specific region of the base of the skull and are therefore subjected to much pressure.
Known systems include, for example, US 4,736,736 entitled“cervical traction assembly having head cradle with occipital shelf’, US 8485l95b2 entitled“dynamic cradle, especially for treating head and neck pain”, US 2015/0150711 Al entitled“therapeutic device for neck pain”, EP 2241245 Al entitled“using muscle tension detection to control position of body part”, US 5320641 A entitled“computer controlled physical therapy device”, and US 20130085531 Al entitled“physiotherapy apparatus”.
However, there remains a need for a system that is capable of adequately releasing pressure at the base of the neck so as to aid blood flow to the upper body.
SUMMARY
The purpose of one embodiment of the invention is to provide the possibility of relief of neck pain, general upper-body tension, aches, as well as headaches, lack of focus, and/or dizziness caused by insufficient blood flow to the upper body by releasing pressure at the base of the neck, thus aiding blood flow to the upper body. A system according to one embodiment could be used to suppress sudden pain attacks, e.g., pain caused by migraine, sharp neck pain (cervicalgia), and/or the like. With regular use, e.g., about 2-5 minutes per day, one can alleviate chronic and even years-long pain attributed to these ailments.
The purpose of the invention can be achieved with the help of a system placed in therapeutic contact with the base of the skull, neck, and/or portion(s) of the back close to the neck. The system can include a platform for accommodation of various treatment devices producing various therapeutic stimuli; for example, mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, and/or other such stimuli.
The platform may ensure the therapeutic contact between the treatment devices producing therapeutic stimuli and the main back and neck muscles connected in the specific region of the neck, portion of the back close to the neck, and/or base of the skull.
The platform can be placed on auxiliary equipment such as a bed, chair, stool, medical equipment, exercising equipment, and so forth. It could also be placed directly on the user’s body; for example, on the head, shoulder(s), or back of the user.
The treatment devices may be used one at the time or in any suitable combination to produce synergistic therapeutic effects.
The treatment devices may include mechanical devices to produce general and/or local, constant and/or alternating pressure on various elements of the human body in specific region(s) of the neck, portion(s) of the back close to the neck, and/or base of the skull.
To produce local stimuli on selected elements or portions of the human body, the mechanical devices may be equipped with various protrusions that could have various or changeable shapes and/or sizes and that come in physical contact with any of various body surfaces.
The mechanical devices can include elements for producing vibrations of various frequencies, amplitudes, phases, and/or waveforms. In some embodiments, it may be possible to change one or more of these parameters in periodic or cyclical fashion in accordance with an appropriate schedule. Such elements may be mechanical, electromagnetic, piezoelectric, and/or any other suitable type of vibration source and may produce vibrations of frequency or frequencies ranging from infrasound to ultrasound or to any subset thereof.
In some embodiments, it is also possible to employ nozzle-like devices to produce constant or alternating flow of medium such as air and/or liquid that is made to come in physical contact with the human body. Nozzles creating negative pressure (e.g., suction produced by an appropriate medium) in the contact area, e.g., suction cups, can also be used.
The mechanical devices can include moving elements that come in contact with the human body for the purpose of massaging region(s) contacted thereby.
The mechanical devices might in some embodiments be supplied with element(s) providing heating and/or cooling generally to zone(s) in which contact with the body is made or locally to selected areas within this zone. Heating or cooling can be applied directly to the body or by way of a medium that comes in contact with the body. Heating or cooling can also be produced using electromagnetic stimuli such as microwave, light, and/or infrared radiation.
The treatment devices can be supplied with elements for applying, to the human body, any of various substances in solid, paste, liquid, and/or gaseous state that are capable of providing therapeutic effects. In particular, application thereof might be achieved by causing surfaces lubricated with medicinal substances to come in mechanical contact with the body, by adding medicinal substances to a medium that comes in contact with the body, or by using an electric current to generate electroosmosis and/or electrophoresis. Transfer of such substances might be facilitated by using local or general heating of the contact area.
The treatment devices can be supplied with elements for creation of constant and/or alternating electric fields, electric voltage, flow of ions, and/or electrical discharge between the device and the body.
The treatment devices can be supplied with elements, e.g., permanent magnets and/or electromagnets, for creation of constant and/or alternating magnetic fields. The treatment devices can be supplied with elements, e.g., generators, emitters, and/or antennas, for creation of constant and/or alternating electromagnetic fields such as radio frequency fields, and/or microwave, light, and/or infrared radiation.
The system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension may include its own control device providing the possibility of setting and changing parameters of the treatment devices providing therapeutic effects separately and/or in combinations.
The control device may include elements for receiving, from various sensors, objective data pertaining to a physical property or properties of the body of the user, and elements for receiving subjective information pertaining to the user’s sensations and/or feelings.
The control device may include memory unit(s) that register and/or record data and information obtained from the sensors and the user, an analytical unit that determines a combination of treatment devices and their regimes and parameters that will be optimal for a user based on analysis of accumulated information, and a unit that implements the treatment in accordance with the regimes and parameters determined by the analytical unit to be optimal so as to provide relief from neck pain, headaches, and/or general upper body tension and ensure the well-being of the user.
The system could be used in various positions or postures of the body, such as when lying down, sitting, standing, or walking.
The system may also be capable of providing healing and/or relief as described above as a result of stimuli delivered to other parts of the head (e.g., temples, carotid artery, forehead, etc.), upper neck, zone of carotid arteries, and/or the like. For these applications, the system can be made in the form of a helmet or attached to the user’s shoulder(s).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, description that would be repetitive being omitted for convenience. The various components and as well as the positional relationships
therebetween that are depicted in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention.
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a simplified version of a system in accordance with a first embodiment for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a simplified version of a system in accordance with a second embodiment for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a simplified version of a system in accordance with a third embodiment for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a simplified version of a system in accordance with a fourth embodiment for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a simplified version of a system in accordance with a fifth embodiment for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 6 illustrates a first example of a vibration source such as may be incorporated within any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments.
FIG. 7 illustrates a second example of a vibration source such as may be incorporated within any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments.
FIG. 8 illustrates a third example of a vibration source such as may be incorporated within any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments.
FIG. 9 illustrates a fourth example of a vibration source such as may be incorporated within any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments. FIG. 10 illustrates a first example of equipment for sitting and/or lying which may incorporate any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments.
FIG. 11 illustrates a second example of equipment for sitting and/or lying which may incorporate any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments.
FIG. 12 illustrates a third example of equipment for sitting and/or lying which may incorporate any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments.
FIG. 13 illustrates a fourth example of equipment for sitting and/or lying which may incorporate any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments.
FIG. 14 illustrates a fifth example of equipment for sitting and/or lying which may incorporate any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments.
FIG. 15 illustrates a first manner in which any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments might be placed on the human body.
FIG. 16 illustrates a second manner in which any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments might be placed on the human body.
FIG. 17 illustrates a third manner in which any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments might be placed on the human body.
FIG. 18 illustrates a first mode of implementing any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments in the context of a helmet serving as an exemplary device for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 19 illustrates a second mode of implementing any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments in the context of a helmet serving as an exemplary device for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 20 illustrates a third mode of implementing any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments in the context of a helmet serving as an exemplary device for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension. FIG. 21 illustrates a fourth mode of implementing any of the systems in accordance with the first through fifth embodiments in the context of a helmet serving as an exemplary device for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 22 illustrates a first treatment device for heating/cooling areas of the body such as may be incorporated within a helmet serving as an exemplary device for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 23 illustrates a second treatment device for heating/cooling areas of the body such as may be incorporated within a helmet serving as an exemplary device for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 24 illustrates a third treatment device for heating/cooling areas of the body such as may be incorporated within a helmet serving as an exemplary device for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 25 illustrates use of an electromagnetic inductor in the context of an exemplary device for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 26 illustrates use of LED radiation in the context of an exemplary device for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 27 illustrates use of a magnetic field in the context of an exemplary device for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 28 illustrates use of ultraviolet radiation in the context of an exemplary device for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension.
FIG. 29 illustrates a first exemplary massage device such as may incorporate any of various aspects of a system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 30 illustrates a second exemplary massage device such as may incorporate any of various aspects of a system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 31 illustrates wearable equipment for implementing a system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The purpose of a system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is to provide the possibility of relief of continuous neck pain, general upper-body tension, aches (including headaches), lack of focus, or dizziness such as may be achieved when systems in accordance with embodiment of the present invention are placed in therapeutic contact with the human body at areas such as the base of the skull, neck, and/or portion(s) of the back close to the neck. Such a system may include a platform for accommodation of any of various treatment devices such as may be capable of producing various therapeutic stimuli. Such stimuli may, for example, be mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, magnetic, electromagnetic, and/or the like.
FIGS. 1 through 5 show examples of simplified versions of systems lOOa through lOOe in accordance with embodiments of the present invention in which a plurality of separate contact devices l02a through l02c (or l02a through 102h) are attached, e.g., as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or are selectively attachable and interchangeable, e.g., as shown in FIG. 3, to each of the platforms lOla through lOle. The plurality of contact devices l02a through l02c (or l02a through 102h) on each platform 101 have contact surfaces that come in therapeutic contact with specific region(s) of the user’s body; e.g., the neck, portion(s) of the back close to the neck, and/or the base of the skull. The contact surfaces of the devices l02a through l02c (or l02a through 102h) at each platform 101 may have various textures that are different from the other devices’ contact surfaces and that are supplied with protrusions that could have various or changeable shapes and/or sizes providing different pressures on the body zones with which they are in therapeutic and/or physical contact. The plurality of contact devices l02a through l02c (or l02a through 102h) on each platform 101 may have various stimulus sources that are different from the other devices’ stimulus sources and that provide different physical stimuli, e.g., mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, magnetic, or electromagnetic stimulus, or combination of any two or more of these different stimuli, on the body zones with which they are in therapeutic and/or physical contact.
Furthermore, the contact devices l02a through l02c (or l02a through 102h) may have various or changeable shapes. As shown in FIG. 6, a control device 103 for controlling the system 100 (i.e. lOOa through lOOe) may be attached to the platform 101 (i.e. lOla through lOle).
In the system lOOa shown in FIG. 1, the platform lOla is in the shape of a three- dimensional triangle, e.g., a triangular cylinder, which may be capable of emitting any of various types of vibration. Each edge of the platform lOla may have a different shape, length, and curve from the other edges. Attached to those edges are the different contact devices l02a through l02c with different textures or stimulus sources that provide different pressures or different physical stimuli on the body zones with which they are in therapeutic and/or physical contact.
In the system lOOb shown in FIG. 2, the platform lOlb is in the shape of a circular or polygonal cylinder and is rotatably supported by a pedestal 300. Attached at respectively different rotational angle positions of the surface of the platform lOlb are respectively different contact devices l02a through 102h having respectively different textures and/or respectively different stimulus sources such as may provide respectively different pressures and/or different physical stimuli on the body zones with which they are respectively in therapeutic contact.
In the system lOOc shown in FIG. 3, the platform lOlc is in the form of a semicircular or polygonal cylinder which is such that at least one portion of its surface can come in therapeutic contact with a patient’s body. The respectively different contact devices l02a through 102h with respectively different textures and/or respectively different stimulus sources such as may provide respectively different pressures and/or respectively different physical stimuli on the body zone with which they are respectively in contact can be selectively attached and interchanged to the at least one contact surface.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show some other possible variations on the shape (and possible surface curvature) of platforms lOld and lOle, an hourglass shape and a fusiform shape being shown, these being different from the shapes of the other platforms lOla through lOlc. Note that contact devices have been omitted for brevity at FIGS. 4 and 5. A user might, for example, use those systems lOOa through lOOe having differently shaped platforms lOla through lOle selectively or in any suitable combination.
In accordance with one embodiment, relief achieved by applying pressure or physical stimulus to selected body zones might be enhanced by changing any of various parameters pertaining to the contact device 102. Variation of such parameters might, for example, be achieved through use of a multiple contact devices 102 having respectively different types of texture or producing respectively different stimuli. These contact devices 102 could be changed by rotating the platform 101 carrying the devices 102 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5, or by causing the exposed device 102 to be interchanged with one having a different texture or producing a different stimulus from among the set supplied with the system 100 on the platform 101 as shown in FIG. 3. In some embodiments, it may also be possible to change the overall curvature of a surface of each contact device 102, for example, by changing the pressure inside the platform 101 on which the contact devices 102 with their respectively different parameters are placed.
In some embodiments, the system 100 may emit vibration(s). For example, the platform base can be crafted to permit steady application of pressure thereon by the user. This may in some embodiments permit muscular tension to be relieved as a result of application of reactionary force by the body of the user in accompaniment to the vibration. Where two or more vibration generators are employed in one system, this may make it possible to modify wave frequency and/or phase to create additional physical effects capable of providing various therapeutic stimuli; for example, standing and/or running waves, joint stimuli of different frequencies, resonance oscillations, waves of complex shape, and so forth.
Various treatment devices may be placed inside the platform 101. For example, a mechanical vibration source 104 might be connected by way of an electric motor 105 as shown in FIG. 6; an electromagnetic vibration source 110 including a magnet core 111 vibrating under the stimulus of an alternating magnetic field generated by winding 112 and spring 113 might be provided as shown in FIG. 7; a piezoelectric emitter 120 might be provided as shown in FIG. 8; an acoustic generator 130 might be provided as shown in FIG.
9; and/or a device might be provided which is capable of generating pulsed air flow. Such treatment devices may be capable of generating vibrations modulated in accordance with any of various parameters which may include alternating or changeable amplitude and/or frequency or frequencies such as might range from infrasound to ultrasound. In some embodiments, it may also be possible to generate complex vibrations in which there is superposition of several frequencies and/or various waveforms, and/or in which the parameters change in accordance with a schedule, e.g., from zero to a maximum and back, and so forth.
The system could be used in various positions or postures, such as lying down, sitting, standing, and/or walking.
As shown in FIGS. 10 through 14, the platform 101 might be placed on auxiliary equipment such as a bed, regular chair 140, automotive or airplane chair 141, or specific medical equipment 142 or 143, and so forth. In one embodiment, the user manually presses the platform 101 to the body by using muscles or by changing the position. It may also be possible in some embodiments to carry out automated adjustment, e.g., through use of a band 145 covering the head in such fashion that there is a preset or adjustable force pressing the head to the platform 101.
In some embodiments, the system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension may also be capable of providing healing and/or relief as described above as a result of stimuli delivered to other parts of the head (e.g., temples, carotid artery, forehead, etc.), upper neck, zone of carotid arteries, and/or the like. For these applications, the device could be made in the form of a helmet or attached to the patient’s shoulder(s).
In some embodiments, the platform 101 may be placed directly on the user, for example on the head in the form of a helmet 150 as shown in FIG. 15, on shoulder(s) or back as shown in FIG. 16, or on a combination of the helmet and shoulders as shown in FIG. 17 creating additional neck stretching force. To facilitate the helmet attachment, one can use inflatable or spring fasteners 151 with textured surfaces 152 as shown in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16.
As shown in FIG. 15 and FIGS. 18 through 21, attached to the helmet 150 there may be additional inflatable or spring fasteners 151, batteries for powering various treatment devices (vibration sources, emitters, etc.) or other equipment; for example headphones 154, tubes for oxygen supply or aroma therapy 155, and/or collar 157 for carotid artery 156 treatment.
As shown in FIG. 22, attached to the helmet 150 there may be nozzles for pumping 160, 164 and/or suction 161, 165 of air or liquid, which may be heated or cooled. Such pumping or suction might be continuous, or might occur in pulses, or might be made to change in accordance with a given pattern.
It is known that in certain cases strong headaches or migraine attacks may be alleviated by applying heating or cooling pads. A system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper-body tension in accordance with one embodiment may include heating and/or cooling units. For this purpose, heating and/or cooling units 166 may be placed in appropriate zones of the helmet as shown in FIG. 23. Heating might, for example, be carried out by means of electric heaters; cooling might, for example, be carried out by means of devices using circulation of cooling agent (gas or liquid), liquefied or solidified C02, thermocouple coolers, coolers using Peltier effect, and/or the like. As shown in FIG. 24, the helmet 150 might be made from thermal insulation material 170, might have cavities 171 that could be filled with ice or warm water, and might have parts made from thermally conductive material 175 adjacent to the places on head and neck that should be heated or cooled.
Various types of electromagnetic influences can alleviate certain issues like neck pain, headaches, or general upper-body tension. For this reason, influences such as microwaves, infrared light, permanent magnets, and/or ultraviolet rays are preferably utilized by the system in accordance with one embodiment. The platform 101 can be supplied with elements for creating permanent or alternating electric, magnetic, and/or electromagnetic stimuli, flows of ions, and/or electric discharges between the body and the system. For example, in one embodiment, a helmet can be employed to help provide therapeutic stimuli on certain zones of the body using microwaves 201 generated by electromagnetic inductor(s) as shown in FIG. 25; red and/or infrared emission(s) 202 such as might, for example, be generated by light- emitting diodes (LEDs) as shown in FIG. 26; a magnetic field 204 generated by magnet(s)
203 as shown in FIG. 27; and/or ultraviolet ray discharge(s) 206 created with the help of electrode(s) 205 as shown in FIG. 28.
In certain cases, massaging the base of the skull could be effective in suppression of headaches and migraine attacks. Massaging effect could be achieved using moving elements; for example, rotating or reciprocal movement of parts. A system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension in accordance with one embodiment may include movable elements placed on or associated with the platform 101 and coming in physical contact with the user’s body so as to provide massage effect to the zone(s) contacted thereby. FIG. 29 and FIG. 30 illustrates several variations on devices capable of delivering such massaging in accordance with embodiments of the present invention that might, for example, employ a reciprocally rotating pad 220 allowing the platform 101 to rotate in reciprocating fashion, a reciprocally swinging pad 221 allowing the platform to swing in reciprocating fashion, rotating discs 230, and/or movable pads 231. Massaging effect can be also be provided by using air flows and/or local suction after the fashion of cupping therapy, for example, as shown in FIG. 22.
Effective massage can often be provided by using a frequency coordinated with the heartbeat; for example, by causing massage to occur at the moment of heart systole and/or diastole. This might be achieved in one embodiment through employment of a body pulse sensor so that massage action can be synchronized with the pulse of the user.
It is also known that massage effect could be enhanced by using various oils and balms, for example tiger balsam, balms containing menthol, camphor, various essential oils, and so forth. These substances could be used prior to the use of the system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper-body tension. It is also possible to supply these substances through the system. For example, a helmet provided with functionality for air flow massage as described above might further include a unit for evaporating and injecting small amounts of essential oils into the air flow. In another embodiment, treatment devices with movable massage elements might be made to include a simple mechanism for wetting movable elements with essential oils.
A system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension in accordance with one embodiment may include attached to the platform 101 disposable or rechargeable elements (cartridges) with various solid, paste, liquid, or gaseous substances capable of producing therapeutic effects such as may help in reducing pain, improving blood flow, releasing pressure at the base of the neck or elsewhere, and/or intensifying any other of the effects mentioned above.
In one embodiment, the platform 101 might include various devices for applying the substances to the surface of the body. Such application might be performed mechanically, by using surfaces lubricated with medicinal substances, and/or by adding medicinal substances to a medium that is made to come in contact with the body, and/or as a result of
electroosmosis and/or electrophoresis generated by electric current passing between elements of the platform 101 and the body. Transfer of substances might in some embodiments be facilitated by using local or general heating of the contact area.
An effective way to alleviate or suppress headaches or migraines in accordance with one embodiment is by synergistic employment of a number of various procedures in combination. Such procedures might, for example, include any of the foregoing pressure stimuli, vibrations, thermal, electromagnetic effects, massage, application of substances such as essential oils, extra oxygen, aroma substances (mint, coffee, various floral scents), calming music, nature sounds (flowing water, ocean waves, rustling tree leaves, etc.). In some embodiments, healing stimulus might be applied to the zone of the carotid artery. Any combination of the foregoing various treatment devices can be used one at a time or in various combinations of two or more to produce synergistic therapeutic effects for optimal management of the actions and effects thereof.
Typically, various problems, including neck pains, headaches, or general upper-body tensions are widely affecting people of various ages, emerge and surge unexpectedly when immediate professional medical help is not available. Also, responses of different people to different types of treatment are changing within wide range making general recommendations ineffective.
The system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension can include its own control device providing the possibility of setting and changing parameters of the treatment devices providing therapeutic effects separately and/or in combinations. The user or a medical professional can choose optimal combination of typical treatments, including various parameters for vibrations, thermal mode, using air pressure or suction, electromagnetic field, supply of medicinal substances, oxygen enrichment, type of aromatherapy, nature sounds, and/or the like.
The control device can include elements for receiving objective data related to any of various physical properties of the user’s body from various sensors monitoring, e.g., blood pressure, actual mechanical pressure in zones of system contacting the body, electrical conductivity, and/or electric potential in the contact zones, presence of sweat, and/or the like. Sensors might, for example, be installed directly on the platform 101 of any of the foregoing embodiments, or might be installed outside the platform, e.g., on various zones of the body, and might be connected electrically through wires or might be made to send signals in wireless fashion.
Such a control device might include elements to obtain subjective information pertaining to the user’s sensations and/or feelings. Such elements might, for example, be used to indicate places with pain and/or evaluate pain level using an appropriate scale system.
The control device can include memory units registering and/or recording and continuously accumulating information obtained from the sensors and the user. Information can be also obtained from other wearable devices collecting data during the intervals when the system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension is not in action.
The control device might include an analytical unit that determines combination of treatment devices and their regimes and parameters that will be optimal for a given individual based on analysis of the accumulated information, and a unit that implements the treatment in accordance with the regimes and parameters determined by the analytical unit to be optimal so as to provide relief from neck pain, headaches, and/or general upper body tension and ensure the well-being of the user. In some embodiments, the analytical unit might use programmable and/or self-learning (based on artificial neural networks) analytical elements.
The control device may be implemented within the system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension; for example, the control device may be mounted on the platform 101 in similar fashion as at control device 103 shown in FIG. 6. Alternatively or additionally, the control device may be implemented separately; for example, the control device may be present on a smart phone, laptop, desktop, and/or cloud.
For its operation, the system for helping people with neck pain, headaches, or general upper body tension must have power sources and/or adaptors and certain additional elements like pumps, notification, and computer elements. For stationary systems such as those shown in FIGS. 10 through 14, these might be placed outside the platform 101 and might be connected therewith with the help of power cable(s) and hose(s) for supplying liquids and/or gases. For wearable systems such as those shown in FIGS. 15 through 17, these may be carried in a backpack 251 or on a belt 250 as shown in FIG. 31 and might be connected with the platform 101 with the help of power cable(s), hose(s) for pressurized air, oxygen, and/or the like.
While embodiments of the present invention have been described above, modes of carrying out the present invention are not limited to the foregoing embodiments, a great many further variations being possible without departing from the gist of the present invention.