Accupressure treatment device and methods of use

Abstract

The present invention provides an acupressure device for use on a selected skin surface portion of a human body. The device comprises a base sheet; one or more protrusions; a fastener; and an orienting element (e.g., orienting margin, orienting constellation, orienting template or orienting protrusion) suitable to position the device on the selected skin surface. The invention also provides therapeutic methods comprising applying a devise of the invention to a human in need of therapy.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An acupressure device for use on a selected skin surface portion of a human body, the device comprising: 
 a base sheet;    a fastener; and    a) a plurality of protrusions on the base sheet, wherein a plurality of protrusions is arranged in an orienting constellation having a shape that corresponds to a shape on or adjacent to the selected skin surface portion;    b) one or more protrusions on the base sheet, wherein one or more protrusions is an orienting protrusion suitable for aligning the device to the selected skin surface portion;    c) one or more protrusions and an orienting template on the base sheet suitable for aligning the device to the selected skin surface portion; or    d) one or more protrusions, wherein a margin of the base sheet has at least portion shaped as an orienting margin which corresponds to a shape on or adjacent to the selected skin surface portion.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one protrusion is embedded in the base sheet.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one protrusion is affixed to the base sheet.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one protrusion is molded from the base sheet.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises an adhesive layer on a portion of the base sheet, the one or more protrusions, or the plurality of protrusions.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting constellation suitable for positioning the protrusions to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the antitragus, lobe, tragus, uterine point, shen men, antidepressant areas, antihelix, scaphoid fossa, cartilage ridge, triangular fossa, cavum concha, conchal ridge or other anterior or posterior area of the pinna.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting protrusion suitable for positioning the device to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the antitragus, lobe, tragus, uterine point, shen men, antidepressant areas, antihelix, scaphoid fossa, cartilage ridge, triangular fossa, cavum concha, conchal ridge or other anterior or posterior area of the pinna.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting template suitable for positioning the device to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the antitragus, lobe, tragus, uterine point, shen men, antidepressant areas, antihelix, scaphoid fossa, cartilage ridge, triangular fossa, cavum concha, conchal ridge or other anterior or posterior area of the pinna.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting margin suitable for positioning the one or more protrusions to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the antitragus, lobe, tragus, uterine point, shen men, antidepressant areas, antihelix, scaphoid fossa, cartilage ridge, triangular fossa, cavum concha, conchal ridge or other anterior or posterior area of the pinna.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting constellation that corresponds to a shape on or adjacent to a therapy point used to treat a general headaches, migraine headaches, premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, depression, impotency, libido, appetite suppression, low back pain, sciatica, fatigue, chronic fatigue, insomnia, jet lag, stress, anxiety, shoulder pain, neck pain, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), jaw pain, smoking, drug or alcohol dependency or withdrawal, alcoholism, sinusitis, allergies, asthma, motion or sea sickness, vertigo, nausea or tinnitus, musculoskeletal pain, elbow pain, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, wrist pain, carpel tunnel syndrome, foot pain, hip pain, or knee pain.  
     
     
         11 . The device  claim 1  which comprises an orienting protrusion suitable for positioning the device to a therapy point used to treat general headaches, migraine headaches, premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, depression, impotency, libido, appetite suppression, low back pain, sciatica, fatigue, chronic fatigue, insomnia, jet lag, stress, anxiety, shoulder pain, neck pain, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), jaw pain, smoking, drug or alcohol dependency or withdrawal, alcoholism, sinusitis, allergies, asthma, motion or sea sickness, vertigo, nausea, tinnitus, musculoskeletal pain, elbow pain, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, wrist pain, carpel tunnel syndrome, foot pain, hip pain, or knee pain.  
     
     
         12 . The device  claim 1  which comprises an orienting template suitable for positioning the device to a therapy point used to treat general headaches, migraine headaches, premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, depression, impotency, libido, appetite suppression, low back pain, sciatica, fatigue, chronic fatigue, insomnia, jet lag, stress, anxiety, shoulder pain, neck pain, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), jaw pain, smoking, drug or alcohol dependency or withdrawal, alcoholism, sinusitis, allergies, asthma, motion or sea sickness, vertigo, nausea, tinnitus, musculoskeletal pain, elbow pain, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, wrist pain, carpel tunnel syndrome, foot pain, hip pain, or knee pain.  
     
     
         13 . The device  claim 1  which comprises an orienting margin that corresponds to a shape on or adjacent to a therapy point useful for treating general headaches, migraine headaches, premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, depression, impotency, libido, appetite suppression, low back pain, sciatica, fatigue, chronic fatigue, insomnia, jet lag, stress, anxiety, shoulder pain, neck pain, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), jaw pain, smoking, drug or alcohol dependency or withdrawal, alcoholism, sinusitis, allergies, asthma, motion or sea sickness, vertigo, nausea, tinnitus, musculoskeletal pain, elbow pain, tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, wrist pain, carpel tunnel syndrome, foot pain, hip pain, or knee pain.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting constellation having a shape that corresponds to a shape on or adjacent to the triangular or scaphoid fossa of a human.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting template that positions the device to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the triangular or scaphoid fossa of a human.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises at least one protrusion that is an orienting protrusion suitable for positioning the device to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the triangular or scaphoid fossa of a human.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting margin which corresponds to a shape on or adjacent to the triangular or scaphoid fossa, wherein said orienting margin positions the device to one or more therapy points.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting constellation having a shape that corresponds to a shape on or adjacent to the tragus, concha ridge, cavum concha or posterior external auditory meatus of a human.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting template that positions the device to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the tragus, concha ridge, cavum concha or posterior external auditory meatus of a human.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises at least one protrusion that is an orienting protrusion suitable for positioning the device to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the tragus, concha ridge, cavum concha or posterior external auditory meatus of a human.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting margin which corresponds to a shape on or adjacent to the tragus, concha ridge, cavum concha or posterior external auditory meatus of a human.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting constellation having a shape that corresponds to a shape on or adjacent to the antitragus of a human.  
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting template that positions the device to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to an antitragus of a human.  
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises at least one protrusion that is an orienting protrusion suitable for positioning the device to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to an antitragus of a human.  
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting margin which corresponds to a shape on or adjacent to the antitragus, wherein said orienting margin positions the device to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to an antitragus.  
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting constellation suitable for positioning the protrusions to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the tragus.  
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting protrusion suitable for positioning the device to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the tragus.  
     
     
         28 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting template suitable for positioning the device to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the tragus.  
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting margin suitable for positioning the one or more protrusions to one or more therapy points on or adjacent to the tragus.  
     
     
         30 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting protrusion, suitable for positioning said device along a antihelix or helix cartilage ridge.  
     
     
         31 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting constellation, suitable for positioning said device along a antihelix or helix cartilage ridge.  
     
     
         32 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting template suitable for positioning said device along a antihelix or helix cartilage ridge.  
     
     
         33 . The device of  claim 1  which comprises an orienting margin suitable for positioning said device along a antihelix or helix cartilage ridge.