Abstract:
An apparatus and method of relieving hot flashes or body overheating or insomnia by applying to the body of a person in need of relief therefrom a cooled elongate flexible pillow filled with pellets having sufficient weight and flow properties to provide a comforting wrapping effect on the back of the neck. A preferred filler is wheat berries. In a particular embodiment, the pillow is draped over the stellate-ganglion area of the neck.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/532,280, filed Sep. 8, 2011. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to therapeutic devices and the like and methods for providing comfort from and in mitigating the effects of hot flashes caused by the hormonal changes brought about by menopause and perimenopause. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is well known that hot flashes are a common symptom of menopause and hot flash manifestations are suffered predominantly by women. Hot flashes are also a common side effect from the use of such pharmaceutical compounds as Tamoxifen, or other aromatase inhibitors. Men have also reported hot flashes as a result of their treatment for certain forms of cancer. There are pharmaceutical treatments, injected or taken orally, and herbal remedies and the like, available to fend off the discomfort of hot flashes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,963 describes a wrist cooler which the inventor contends offers relief for hot flash symptoms of menopause and body overheating. The wrist cooler includes pellets that are broken to provide cooling in a one-time use manner. U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,199 describes a hot and cold therapeutic pillow that contains a gel pack that may be heated in a microwave oven or cooled by freezing. 
     It is also known to block the stellate-ganglion by injecting a local anesthetic in the sympathetic nerve tissue of the neck to reduce the number of hot flashes and night awakenings suffered by breast cancer survivors and women experiencing extreme menopause. The stellate ganglion (or cervicothoracic ganglion or inferior cervical ganglion) is a sympathetic ganglion formed by the fusion of the inferior cervical ganglion and the first thoracic ganglion, located at the level of the C7 (7th cervical vertebrae), anterior to the transverse process of C7, anterior to the neck of the first rib, and just below the subclavian artery. Such treatments require clinical procedures. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention overcomes the foregoing drawbacks by providing a reusable therapeutic cooling pillow that can be applied to the body of a person in need of relief from hot flashes or body overheating or insomnia. Insomnia is one of the key symptoms of overheating. The apparatus can be applied around the neck area works to reset the body&#39;s thermostat naturally, via chilling the Stellate Ganglion, which, in turn, quells hot flashes, night sweats, and relieves insomnia because cooling the brain induces sleep. In its broader application, the apparatus can be applied to any part of the body where icing is desired, (for example by wrapping it around the hand, foot, or knee, to treat a burn or an athletic injury) because the chill it provides is uniform, lengthy, and dry, maintaining maximum cold for thirty minutes. 
     In a particular embodiment, the apparatus drapes over the stellate-ganglion area of the neck to relieve hot flashes, body overheating or insomnia. Of significant importance, solid pellets are used as filler for the pillow, the pellets having sufficient weight and flow properties to provide a comforting wrapping effect on the back of the neck. In a specific important embodiment of the invention, the pillow is filled with raw, natural whole grains composed of its bran, germ, and endosperm. In its most advantageous form, the pillow is filled with reddish, natural wheat berries (also referred to as wheatberries), which the inventor has found to provide the unique ability to be easily cooled in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator, but which when applied over the back side of the neck of a user retains its coolness for a time sufficient to provide the desired relief. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, the pillow comprises an inner elongate sleeve, closed at one end and open at the other end to receive the pellets. It is preferably of muslin, such as is formed from unbleached or white cloth produced form carded cotton yarn. The inner sleeve is filled with the solid pellets, and then closed, e. g., with opposing Velcro strips sewn to the inner surfaces of the open end of the inner sleeve. The inner sleeve is inserted into an outer sleeve of about the same size of soft cotton and can bear a decorative design. It also is closed at one end and open at the other end to receive the inner sleeve, then also closed with opposing Velcro strips sewn to the inner surfaces of the open end of the outer sleeve. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
       Referring to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of the therapeutic pillow  10  of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the therapeutic pillow of  FIG. 1  shown placed on the neck of a user to relieve hot flashes; 
         FIG. 3  is a view of the open end of the outer sleeve of the pillow of  FIG. 1  showing the end of an inner sleeve inserted therein; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the filled inner sleeve of the pillow of  FIG. 1  and partially shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the open end of the inner sleeve of  FIG. 4  and showing wheat berries therein; 
         FIG. 6  shows wheat berries that are used to fill the inner sleeve of  FIG. 4  as partially shown in  FIG. 5   
         FIG. 7  is a planar view of a sheet of muslin used to form the inner sleeve; 
         FIG. 8  is a planar view of the sheet of muslin of  FIG. 7  folded in preparation for sewing one end and the elongate edge; 
         FIG. 9  is a planar, partially perspective, view of a sheet of soft cotton used to form the outer sleeve of the pillow; and 
         FIG. 10  is a planar view of the sheet of soft cotton of  FIG. 9  folded in preparation for sewing one end and the elongate edge. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the therapeutic pillow  10  of this invention. It is flexible, and has an outer sleeve cover  12  formed from soft cotton and bears a color or pattern as desired. The pillow is kept in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator so it is ready to use when needed, such as when one is disturbed by hot flashes, night sweats, an overheated body, insomnia, menopausal or perimenopausal symptoms, or andropause in men. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the therapeutic pillow is draped over the neck of a user  14  on the stellate-ganglion area of the neck to relieve hot flashes and the like. 
     The cooled pillow can be used while sitting, standing, walking, or lying down. It contains filler that is chosen to have sufficient weight and flow properties to provide a comforting wrapping effect on the back of the neck and feels exquisitely comfortable when applied directly on bare skin. It requires no preparation, just storing in a freezer prior to use. Because of the nature of its filler can fold in half to save freezer space. It has a machine washable outer sleeve, is easily portable and made to last. 
       FIG. 3  is a view of the open end  16  of the outer sleeve  12 . The outer sleeve  12  is made of soft cotton and can bear a decorative design. It is fitted with opposing hook and loop Velcro strips  18  and  20  sewn to the inner edge surfaces of the open end  16 . A portion is shown of the end of an inner sleeve  22  inserted into the outer sleeve  12 , which is about the same size as the inner sleeve  22 . After the inner sleeve  22  is filled and closed and slid into the outer sleeve  12 , the outer sleeve  12  is closed by “zipping” the Velcro strips  18  to form the pillow  10 . 
       FIG. 4  shows the filled inner sleeve  22 . The inner sleeve  22  is made of muslin, such as is formed from unbleached or white cloth produced form carded cotton yarn.  FIG. 5  is a view of the open end  24  of the inner sleeve  22 . It is fitted with opposing hook and loop Velcro strips, one of which is shown at  26 , sewn to the inner edge surfaces of the open end  24 . A portion of wheat berries  28  is shown inside the inner sleeve  24 . The inner and outer sleeves  12  and  22  are each about 18 inches long, 5½ inches wide and 1½ inches thick. The inner sleeve  22  contains 2½ pounds of the wheat berries  28 , which together with the dimensions of the inner and outer sleeves, has sufficient weight and flow properties to provide a comforting wrapping effect on the back of the neck. 
       FIG. 6  shows the 2½ pounds of wheat berries  28  measured out in a container  30  used to fill the inner sleeve. The wheat berries, also referred to as wheatberries, are reddish, raw, natural whole grains composed of its bran, germ, and endosperm. The inner sleeve  22  is filled with the wheat berries and closed and slid into the outer sleeve  12 . The outer sleeve  12  is closed by “zipping” the Velcro strips  18  to form the pillow  10 . 
     The inner sleeve  22  is constructed from a sheet of muslin  32  shown in  FIG. 7 , which is folded over as shown in  FIG. 8 . The folded sheet is sewn along its left and top edges to form the elongate inner sleeve  22 . Velcro strips, one of which  18  is shown, is sewed to the inner edges of the open end  24  of the sleeve  22 . Muslin is formed from unbleached or white cloth produced form carded cotton yarn, and provides a strong container when the Velcro strips are “zipped” together. 
     The outer sleeve  12  is constructed from a sheet of soft cotton  34  to enable it to have a soft feel to the skin. It can be decorated with a pattern, design or logographic. The cotton sheet  34  forming the outer sleeve is shown in  FIG. 9 , which is folded over as shown in  FIG. 10 . As with the inner sleeve  22 , the material  34  for the outer sleeve  12  is sewn along its left and top edges to form the elongate outer sleeve  22 . Velcro strips, one of which  26  is shown, is sewed to the inner edges of the open end  16  of the sleeve  22 . 
     Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be utilized without departing from the principles and scope of the invention, as those skilled in the art will readily understand. Accordingly, such modifications may be practiced within the scope of the following claims.