Patent Publication Number: US-2005139215-A1

Title: Method for magnetic sinus therapy and magnetic nose pad apparatus

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60,503,676 entitled Method for Magnetic Sinus Therapy and Magnetic Nose Pad Apparatus filed Sep. 17, 2003. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the invention  
      The invention is related to magnets and magnetic fields. More specifically, the invention is related to a magnetic nose pad apparatus for use with a non-invasive magnetic method for sinus therapy.  
      2. Related Art  
      The nose and sinus system act as a filter for oxygen breathed into the body to sustain life. When the air carrying the oxygen is polluted with natural and or man made pollutants/irritants sinus conditions arise that cause considerable discomfort to the afflicted individuals. Toxic effects upon sinus tissue range from increased dryness or increased nasal discharge to an increased susceptibility to secondary infections. Attempts to chemically minimize the affects of these pollutant/irritants, for example with the use of anti-histamine drugs often leads to undesirable side effects, for example drowsiness.  
      Therapeutic magnetic devices have been used for a variety of localized disorders, including applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,981, titled “Eyeglasses having magnets attached thereto for improving the blood circulation of the eyes”, issued Feb. 14, 1995 and hereby incorporated by reference in the entirety.  
      As described in applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,981 patent, magnets have a north side (negative) and a south side (positive). The north side of a magnet provides beneficial effects when oriented to project a north magnetic field into living tissue. The beneficial effects including increasing the oxygen saturation of red blood cells exposed to the north magnetic field and a localized increase in blood circulation. The south side of a magnet generally provides non-beneficial effects when oriented to project into living tissue and can cause blood aggregation degeneration.  
      Therefore it is an object of the invention to provide a method for magnetic sinus therapy and an associated magnetic nose pad apparatus.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A magnetic sinus therapy applies at least one magnet oriented to direct a north magnetic field towards the nose/sinus area(s) of a user. The magnetic sinus therapy causes a reduction in blood aggregation of the blood in the nose/sinus area veins and capillaries. A reduction in blood aggregation improving circulation throughout the nose/sinus area as non-aggregated blood is better able to transfer oxygen, antibodies and immune system agents throughout the nose/sinus area.  
      A method for sinus therapy may include the steps of taking a blood sample, exposing the nose/sinus area to a negative magnetic field for a selected time period and then taking another blood sample. The blood samples may then be compared with a microscope and or photomicrography to view the level of blood aggregation reduction that has resulted.  
      An apparatus for sinus therapy application may comprise one or more magnets removably adhered to a users nose or coupled to a retaining clip that is sized to fit over a user&#39;s nose. Alternatively, the magnet(s) may be added to existing or purpose built eyeglasses by incorporating one or more magnets into a solid nosepiece. Where, for example, with wire framed eyeglasses, silicon nose pads are present, the nose pads may have one or more magnets attached thereto. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a front view of the nose area of a pair of wire frame eyeglasses with silicon type nose pads having magnets attached.  
       FIG. 2  is a front/side view of the nose area of a pair of wire frame eyeglasses with silicon type nose pads having magnets attached.  
       FIG. 3  is a front view of a nose clip with silicon nose pads having magnets attached.  
       FIG. 4  is a back view of the nose clip of  FIG. 3 .  
       FIG. 5  is a collection of wire frame eyeglasses with silicon pads having magnets attached.  
       FIG. 6  is a photograph of a person wearing eyeglasses with silicon pads having magnets attached.  
       FIG. 7  is an adhesive channel expanding device.  
       FIG. 8  is a person wearing a adhesive channel expanding device. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Applicant&#39;s testing has shown that human blood reacts to exposure to south magnetic fields by increasing in aggregation level, i.e. increased clustering of the red blood cells towards each other. When human blood is exposed to north magnetic fields, blood aggregation levels decrease, increasing circulation and oxygen transfer.  
      Testing has shown that repeated exposure to magnetic fields oriented north, then south and back to north, etc., with blood samples taken for photomicrography after each exposure reveals that the blood aggregation may be increased or decreased solely via exposure to the respective magnetic field. Exposure time, for example  15  minutes, and field strength may be modified to achieve the desired level of blood aggregation reduction. Alternately, the body could be exposed to north magnetic fields as a means of preventing blood aggregation and its toxic effects upon the sinuses.  
      To localize the blood aggregation reduction effect of north magnetic fields to the sinus area as a method for sinus therapy, magnets may be located proximate the nose/sinus area oriented to project a north magnetic field into the nose/sinus area. For example, the magnet(s)  18  may be mounted on the nose pads  16  of most eyeglasses  10 . The magnets may be used to prevent or reduce blood aggregation.  
      In the case of plastic eyeglasses  10  with integral molded solid nose areas, magnets oriented to project a north magnetic field into the nose/sinus area may be mounted to the solid nose area of the frame. Mounting may be perfected by, for example, adhering at least one magnet(s)  18  with a suitable adhesive, molding the magnet into the nose area at time of manufacture or by the creation of a suitable hole into which the magnet(s)  18  is/are press fit and or adhered.  
      Wire frame glasses  10  typically use, for example, a pair of silicon pads  16  resting on the wearer&#39;s nose/sinus area supporting the wire frame and lenses. Magnets  18  oriented to project a north magnetic field into the nose/sinus area may be mounted on or within the silicon pads  16  as shown in  FIGS. 1, 2 ,  5  and  6 . Because these pads  16  are normally removable from the frame  10  for easy exchange, the invention may be added to an existing pair of eyeglasses  10  as a simple to install kit. The kit comprising one or more pads  16  with magnets  18  mounted thereto, oriented to project a north magnetic field towards the user, and a screw driver if necessary to remove existing nose pads and install the included nose pads  16  according to the invention.  
      The eyeglasses  10  can be manufactured with magnets  18  oriented to project a north magnetic field into the nose/sinus area or the magnets  18  can be added later such as with a do-it-yourself kit.  
      Magnets  18  oriented to project a north magnetic field into the nose/sinus area can be manufactured or added to safety glasses and goggles.  
      If a user does not wear glasses  10  or, for example, for use while sleeping without pillow interference, a magnetic nose clip  12  as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 3 and 4  may be used. The nose clip  12  may use a for example metal or plastic clip  12  coupled with two nose pads  16 . The nose pads containing magnets  18  as described herein, above.  
      In an alternative embodiment, the magnets  18  may be mounted on the form of adhesive  20  nose channel expanding devices  14  commonly used by athletes.  
      Alternatively, magnets  18  may be used with a releasable adhesive for adhering directly to the skin or be incorporated with an adhesive tape, for example surgical tape that is used to hold magnet(s)  18  in place over the nose/sinus area.  
      If there is a medical or other purpose for increasing blood aggregation, especially in the sinus area, the invention may be magnetically reversed. That is the fields may be oriented/selected so that the resulting user exposure is from the magnet&#39;s south magnetic field.