Apparatus and method for electromagnetic treatment of plant, animal, and human tissue, organs, cells, and molecules

Abstract

An apparatus and method for electromagnetic treatment of plants, animals, and humans comprising: configuring at least one waveform according to a mathematical model having at least one waveform parameter, said at least one waveform to be coupled to a target pathway structure; choosing a value of said at least one waveform parameter so that said at least waveform is configured to be detectable in said target pathway structure above background activity in said target pathway structure; generating an electromagnetic signal from said configured at least one waveform; and coupling said electromagnetic signal to said target pathway structure using a coupling device.

1 . A low-power, lightweight electromagnetic treatment device for treating a target tissue by stimulation of a target pathway structure, the device comprising:
 a wire applicator comprising a loop that is configured to conform to a target anatomy; and   a control circuit configured to provide a signal to the applicator to induce an electric field of amplitude of between about 1 μV/cm to about 100 mV/cm at the target tissue and a peak induced magnetic field between about 1 μT and about 20 μT, wherein the control circuit generates a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than 0.5 msec and a burst period of between about 0.1 to about 10 seconds to produce a signal that is above background electrical activity.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the signal has been configured according to a mathematical model. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the signal has been configured according to a mathematical model which incorporates a SNR or PSNR analysis with respect to the target pathway. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the lightweight electromagnetic treatment device is configured to be worn. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an anatomical support configured to hold the treatment device adjacent to the target tissue. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the anatomical support is configured to support at least one of: wrist, knee, elbow, lower back, shoulder, and foot. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is a miniaturized circuit. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the burst duration of the waveforms generated by the control circuit have a burst duration about 2 msec. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the burst of waveforms generated by the control circuit repeat at a frequency of less than 100 MHz and have a duty cycle less than 1. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the waveforms generated by the control circuit are selected from the group of wave shapes consisting of: sinusoidal, square, chaotic, random, symmetrical, asymmetrical, half- or full-wave rectified. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the waveforms generated by the control circuit have a frequency of approximately 27.12 MHz. 
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 1 , further wherein the control circuit is configured so that the induced electric field has at least one frequency component that falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of Ca binding to CaM having sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is above background electrical activity in the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue. 
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured so that the induced electric field has a plurality of frequency components that fall within the bandpass of the kinetics of the Ca/CaM pathway having sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is above background electrical activity in the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue. 
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a pulse shaper configured to shape the waveforms. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a pulse phase timing control configured to regulate the burst duration and burst period. 
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit comprises a voltage level conversion sub-circuit configured to control the induced electrical field amplitude. 
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a micro-controller configured to control the burst duration, the burst period, and the duration of a single treatment application. 
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the micro-controller is configured to apply treatment for a duration of between about 1 minute to about 30 minutes. 
   
   
       19 . A lightweight, battery-powered electromagnetic treatment device for treating a target tissue, the device comprising:
 a lightweight wire applicator comprising a loop that is configured to conform to a target anatomy;   a miniature control circuit configured to provide a signal to the applicator to induce an electric field of amplitude less than about 100 mV/cm at the target tissue, wherein the control circuit generates a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than 0.5 msec and a burst period of between about 0.1 to about 10 seconds;   a lightweight battery;   wherein at least one frequency component of the induced electric field falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of calcium binding to calmodulin having sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is above background activity by the calcium calmodulin pathway in the target tissue.   
   
   
       20 . A lightweight anatomical support device for the electromagnetic treatment of a target tissue, the device comprising:
 a support configured to support a portion of a subject's body;   a lightweight wire applicator comprising a loop that is configured to attach to the support for placement adjacent to the target tissue;   a miniature control circuit configured to provide a signal to the applicator to induce an electric field of amplitude less than 100 mV/cm at the target tissue and to induce a peak magnetic field between about 1 μT and about 20 μT, wherein the control circuit generates a burst of waveforms having a burst duration and a burst repetition rate;   wherein at least one frequency component of the induced electric field falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of calcium binding to calmodulin having sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is above background activity in the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue.   
   
   
       21 . A method of modulating calcium binding to calmodulin within a target tissue using a lightweight electromagnetic treatment device, the method comprising:
 placing a lightweight applicator of an electromagnetic treatment device adjacent to a target tissue;   activating the electromagnetic treatment device so that the applicator delivers a burst of waveforms having a burst duration and a burst repetition rate which induces an a peak induced magnetic field between about 1 μT and about 20 μT and an electric field having an amplitude of less than 100 mV/cm at the target tissue, such that at least one frequency component of the induced electric field falls within the bandpass of the kinetics of the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue with sufficient amplitude so that the induced electric field is above background electrical activity in the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue.   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising configuring the induced electric field using a mathematical model which incorporates a SNR or PSNR analysis so that at least one frequency component of the induced electric field falls within the bandpass of the kinetics Ca/CaM pathway. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the induced electric field has an amplitude of between about 1 μV/cm to about 100 mV/cm in the target tissue and a peak induced magnetic field less than about 20 μT, and further wherein the induced electric field comprises a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than about 0.065 msec and a burst repetition rate. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the induced electric field has an amplitude of between about 1 μV/cm to about 100 mV/cm in the target tissue, and further wherein the induced electric field comprises a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than about 0.5 msec. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of activating comprises applying a burst of waveforms repeating at a frequency of less than 100 MHz and having a duty cycle less than 1. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the waveforms are selected from the group of wave shapes consisting of: sinusoidal, square, chaotic, random, symmetrical, asymmetrical, half- or full-wave rectified. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the waveforms have a frequency of approximately 27.12 MHz. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising modulating the calcium binding to calmodulin in the target tissue to treat pain. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of using at least one of standard medical therapies and non-standard medical therapies adjunctively with said electromagnetic treatment. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of using at least one of standard physical therapies and non-standard physical therapies conjunctively with said electromagnetic treatment. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of using said electromagnetic treatment to modulate the production and utilization of growth factors, cytokines, and regulatory substances by living cells. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising modulating the calcium binding to calmodulin in the target tissue to treat edema. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising modulating the calcium binding to calmodulin in the target tissue to modulate tissue growth and repair. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of using said electromagnetic treatment to reduce chronic and acute pain of musculoskeletal and neural origin. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of using said electromagnetic treatment for treatment of diabetic and pressure ulcers wherein said ulcers are chronic. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of using said electromagnetic treatment for at least one of increasing blood flow and microvascular blood perfusion. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of using said electromagnetic treatment for at least one of neovascularization and angiogenesis. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of using said electromagnetic treatment to enhance immune response for malignant and benign conditions. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of using said electromagnetic treatment to enhance transudation. 
   
   
       40 . A method of modulating the kinetics of calcium binding to calmodulin within a target tissue using a lightweight electromagnet treatment device, the method comprising:
 activating the lightweight electromagnetic treatment device to emit a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than 65 μsec and a burst period of between about 0.1 to about 10 seconds;   inducing an electrical field of amplitude of less than 100 mV/cm at the target tissue to modulate the kinetics of calcium binding to calmodulin within the target tissue, wherein a at least some of the frequency components of the induced electrical field fall within the time constant of Ca/CaM binding with an amplitude sufficient so that the induced electric field is detectable above background electrical activity in the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue.   
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the induced electrical field is configured using a mathematical model to be detectable in the Ca/CaM target pathway above background electrical activity in the Ca/CaM target pathway. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the induced electrical field comprises a plurality of frequency components fall within the time constant of Ca/CaM binding with an amplitude sufficient so that the induced electric field is detectable above background electrical activity in the Ca/CaM pathway in the target tissue. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising placing the device adjacent to the tissue to be treated. 
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the induced electric field has an amplitude of between about 1 μV/cm to about 100 mV/cm in the target tissue, and further wherein the induced electric field comprises a burst of waveforms having a burst duration greater than about 0.5 msec. 
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the step of activating comprises applying a burst of waveforms repeating at a frequency of less than 100 MHz and having a duty cycle less than 1. 
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the waveforms are selected from the group of wave shapes consisting of: sinusoidal, square, chaotic, random, symmetrical, asymmetrical, half- or full-wave rectified. 
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the waveforms have a frequency of approximately 27.12 MHz. 
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising modulating the kinetics of calcium binding to calmodulin in the target tissue to treat pain. 
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising modulating the kinetics of calcium binding to calmodulin in the target tissue to treat edema. 
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising modulating the kinetics of calcium binding to calmodulin in the target tissue to modulate tissue growth and repair. 
   
   
       51 . A method of treating pain and edema in a target tissue using a low-power, lightweight electromagnetic treatment device, the method comprising:
 placing an applicator of the low-power, lightweight electromagnetic treatment device adjacent to the target tissue;   activating the low-power, lightweight electromagnetic treatment device to emit a burst of waveforms having a burst duration of greater than 65 μsec and a burst period of between about 0.1 and about 10 seconds;   reducing pain and edema by inducing an electrical field peak amplitude of less than 100 mV/cm at the target tissue and a magnetic field of peak amplitude of less than about 20 μT.   
   
   
       52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the step of placing the applicator comprises wearing the applicator adjacent to the tissue to be treated. 
   
   
       53 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the step of placing the applicator comprises conforming a lightweight wire applicator to the target anatomy. 
   
   
       54 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the step of activating the low-power, lightweight electromagnetic treatment device comprises emitting a burst of waveforms having a frequency less than 100 MHz. 
   
   
       55 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the step of activating the low-power, lightweight electromagnetic treatment device comprises emitting a burst of waveforms having a burst duration greater than about 0.5 msec. 
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising continuing treatment for multiple applications of a prescribed duration. 
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising continuing treatment for a treatment duration of between about 1 minute to about 30 minutes.