Patent Publication Number: US-6986779-B2

Title: Pain relieving pressure maintenance apparatus and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is based upon and claims priority from prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/478,858, filed Jun. 16, 2003, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/488,228, filed Jul. 17, 2003, the entire disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to pain relieving devices and more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for relieving pain by applying pressure to a particular pressure point of the body. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The medical industry has long tried to help people control their pain. The only problem is that with most chronic pain or illness, there is no cure. With most medications, people also have to deal with the side effects. The medical industry continues to develop and prescribe medication to help the general public. One of their main strengths is that people will do almost anything to relieve pain. Headaches are the most common pain that we have to deal with almost everyday. According to several health insurance companies, two-thirds of headache sufferers are women. Migraines are documented as one of the most common types of headaches. A doctor will usually diagnose a migraine based on the history of symptoms. In most cases, a physical and neurological examination will be entirely normal. Despite years of research, scientists still do not know exactly why migraines occur. Most people who develop migraines will continue to have intermittent headaches over years. According to the National Headache Foundation, most people who suffer from migraines do not need to see a doctor. A typical migraine sufferer will have several attack each month, lasting anywhere from hours to days. Tension headaches are also one of the top two headaches that people suffer from on a consistent basis. Tension headaches are related to excessive and/or constant stress. Stress is becoming a natural part of our lives, and for the most part, must be dealt with. Dealing with stress in any manner can still cause mild tension headaches that can affect our daily activities. There are thousands of Headache Support Groups across the US helping people deal with chronic headaches. People who are hyper sensitive to medication of any type simply have lost control of their ability to live a normal functional life. The cure can be as debilitating as the pain in most cases. 
     Current Solutions 
     What solutions do people currently have? There are over-the-counter pain relievers, such as Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, etc. There are also shots like Immitrex and others that people can inject themselves or get at a hospital or doctor&#39;s office. The costs are high and consistent, and all of these have some type of side effect, especially to people who are sensitive to pharmaceuticals; even Tylenol can put people to sleep for a few hours. To summarize the prior art headache remedies and their characteristics:
     a) Pharmaceuticals: (Over the counter.)   

     1) Side effects: (Stomach problems, tiredness, and depression) 
     2) Consistent costs 
     3) 30 to 60 minutes for relief 
     4) Less effective day 
     5) Time Consuming
     b) Hospitals:   

     1) Time consuming 
     2) Expensive 
     3) Loss of the day, possibly 2 or 3. 
     4) Follow up tests 
     5) Future days lost 
     6) Answer: Medication 
     7) Side effects 
     8) Less effective day
     c) Doctors Office Visit:   

     1) Appointment date: (Usually days later) 
     2) Time consuming: literally hours most of the time 
     3) Loss of the day 
     4) Schedule tests 
     5) Loss of future days. 
     6) Return to doctor&#39;s office for test results. 
     7) Loss of another day. 
     8) Side effects from the medication. 
     9) Less effective days due to side effects. 
     10) Make another appointment with the doctor. 
     11) Lose another day in the doctor&#39;s office. 
     12) Hope that the new medication works.
     d) Rest:   

     1) It works. 
     2) It&#39;s free. 
     3) It&#39;s safe. 
     4) Doesn&#39;t have any side effects. 
     5) The only problem is the ultimate problem. It&#39;s time consuming. 
     Western &amp; Eastern/Drugs or Alternatives 
     The general public has the right to choose any method of pain relief that they want, and they are basically becoming more educated to their options as time continues. The more educated the general public becomes, the more successful alternative medicine will become. The pharmaceutical companies continue to develop medicines to alleviate pain as long as the doctors continue to prescribe them. Side effects are becoming more acceptable to those who have lost any hope of being pain free. 
     Since there is no scientific evidence explaining why people get migraines, then every time that a doctor prescribes a medication for this type of headache, he is testing it. We become the lab rat. Currently the industry evolves around treating the symptom and not the person as a whole. Scientifically there isn&#39;t always an answer for our symptoms that can be explained or researched under a microscope. This statement is the foundation of Eastern medicine. 
     The present solution to pain is rest. The entire industry is working to relieve pain, but practically all of their answers force you to slow down, or rest, (sort of ironic) because of the side effects of other treatments. The idea is to relieve pain so that you can continue to live a normal life, not to reduce the amount of time you have to actually live. The number one question currently at the top of the priority list for all of the industry is; “How can we help people control their pain without taking away from their life?” 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides relief from pain by providing a glove that is designed to quickly, comfortably, conveniently and effectively apply a specific amount of pressure to a particular point, relieving and/or eliminating the pain of any type of headache within minutes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing and other features and also the advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a glove back view with open wrist straps according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a closed strap glove back view in accordance With the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a closed strap glove palm view in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a bladder and Pressure Point Applicator (PPA) in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a cut away view of the interior of the glove in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates back view of a user&#39;s hand with portions relevant to the operation of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates the back of user&#39;s hand as it is located within the glove according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a prepared glove that is ready for use. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a user putting on the glove. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a worn glove ready for closure. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates closing the wrist strap comfortably. 
         FIGS. 12 and 13  illustrate closing the palm strap. 
         FIG. 14  illustrates operating the valve. 
         FIG. 15  illustrates positioning a properly placed glove. 
         FIG. 16  illustrates a carrying case for the glove and associated materials. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described herein and is shown in the figures. This exemplary embodiment is referred to by the name “The Headache Glove” (hereinafter also referred to as “glove”). The most common pains that we deal with on a daily basis are headaches. These headaches range from different levels of intensity to different types of pain. The glove can be used conveniently and comfortably as you carry on with your daily activities. The current design of the glove is practical and effective and has been reached through consistent testing and redesigning of the components of the glove. In general, acute headaches require time-consuming solutions, whereas the glove was specifically designed to save time by using the glove when needed while performing your daily obligations. Even though pressure point application to specific areas has been around for over a thousand years, the ability to apply constant pressure to a pressure point long enough to have an effect has always required time and assistance. The glove is designed to be used anywhere and at anytime without any assistance. Currently there are some devices designed to apply pressure, but the effectiveness is superficial and short-term. The glove, according to the present example, uses a Pressure Point Applicator (“PPA”) that is pressed into a desired point on the wearer&#39;s hand by a bladder internal to the glove shell. 
     Glove Construction 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a glove back view  100  with open wrist straps according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The glove back view  100  illustrates a glove  130  that has an outline similar to a conventional, open fingered glove. The glove back view  100  illustrates four open finger tubes  108  and a thumb tube  106 . The glove  130  has a wrist opening  102  that allows a user to insert his or her hand into the glove  130 . The glove back  132  also has a wrist slot  104  along the wrist opening  102  to facilitate placing the glove  130  onto a user&#39;s hand and similarly removing the glove. Two straps, a wrist strap  116  and a palm strap  112  are attached to the glove  130 . The wrist strap  116  has a wrist strap Velcro strip  118  and the palm strap  112  has a palm strap Velcro strip  114 . The wrist strap Velcro strip  118  attaches to a wrist section Velcro strip  120  as described below. These two straps allow properly fitting the glove  130  to a user&#39;s hand, as is described below. 
     Glove  130  further includes a pouch  110 . Pouch  110  of the exemplary embodiment accepts a bladder and Pressure Point Applicator (PPA), as is described below. Pouch  110  is formed by a pouch patch that is placed inside the glove  130  and that is sewn to the glove  130  along stitching  124 . Pouch  110  has a pouch opening  122  along the side of pouch  110  that is closest to the wrist opening  102 . This pouch opening  122  allows a bladder and PPA to be inserted and removed from the glove  130 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a closed strap glove back view  200  in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The closed strap glove back view  200  shows the wrist strap  116  closed along the bottom of the glove and the wrist strap Velcro strap  118  is attached to the wrist section Velcro strip  120 . The closed strap glove back view  200  further illustrates the palm strap  112  placed across the back of the glove  130 , including across pouch  110  in order to allow the bladder and PPA within pouch  110  to place adequate pressure onto the proper point of the user&#39;s hand, as is described below. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a closed strap glove palm view  300  in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The closed strap glove palm view  300  illustrates that the palm strap  112  wraps around the user&#39;s thumb. The palm strap Velcro strip  114  is further shown as attached to a palm section Velcro strip  302 . The wrist strap  116  of the exemplary embodiment is further shown as wrapping around to the palm side of glove  130 , where the wrist strap Velcro strip  118  attaches to the wrist section Velcro strip  120 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a bladder and Pressure Point Applicator (PPA)  400  in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The bladder and Pressure Point Applicator (PPA)  400  has a bladder  402  that is an expandable rubber bladder that expands as air pressure within bladder  402  is increased. Bladder  402  further includes a Pressure Point Applicator  420  that includes a button  406  and a applicator base  404 . Bladder  302  is attached to a pump  412  via a tube  408  and valve  410 . Pump  412  of the exemplary embodiment is a compressible rubber bulb type pump similar to pumps used with blood pressure measurement cuffs. Pump  412  includes a check valve  414  to allow air to enter the pump  412  when the pump  412  is expanding and prevent air from leaving the pump  412  through check valve  414  when the pump  412  is compressed. Valve  410  allows air to be selectably released from an inflated bladder  402 , such as when use of the glove  130  of the exemplary embodiment is completed. Pump  412  operates the bladder  402  by pumping air into bladder  402 , thereby causing bladder  402  to expand and apply yieldable pressure, as is described below. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an interior view  500  of the glove  130  in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The interior view  500  is seen as looking into the wrist opening  102 . The interior view  500  shows the bladder  402  and PPA  420 , with button  406  facing towards the user&#39;s hand, inside pouch  110  inside the glove  130 . Tube  408  is shown to exit the glove  130  through wrist slot  104 . This arrangement allows the PPA  420 , with the button  406  facing the user&#39;s hand, to be pressed into the user&#39;s hand with pressure supplied by bladder  402 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates back view of a user&#39;s hand  600  with portions relevant to the operation of the present invention. A user&#39;s hand  602  is shown to have a thumb  604  and four remaining fingers  606 , including index finger  610 . The Hegu pressure point  608  and operation of the glove  130  of the exemplary embodiment in relation to the Hegu point is discussed in detail below. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates the back of user&#39;s hand  600  as it is within glove  130  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The Hegu point &#39; 608  is shown as under the PPA  420  and bladder  402  is placed within pouch  110  of glove  130 . The tube  408  exits the wrist slot  104 . Wrist strap  116  and palm strap  112  are shown as closed to ensure proper placement of the glove  130  and the bladder  402 /PPA  420  in particular. In operation, the user operates pump  412  to inflate the bladder  402  and apply pressure to his or her Hegu point  608  with the PPA  420 . After use, the user operates valve  410  to release air from bladder  402  to remove pressure from the Hegu point  608 . 
     Construction of the Exemplary Embodiment 
     The shell of glove  130  of the exemplary embodiment is made of Spandex. Various materials were tested, such as leather, mesh, nylon, varying percentages of Lycra, neoprene, and polyester using varying thicknesses, fabric density, and quality. Spandex was chosen based on an improved ability to control the positioning of the Bladder  402  and PPA  420 . Spandex was further found to have superior comfort, durability, and ability to conform to varying hand densities with essentially the same hand size. In essence, hand size is determined by the distance from a user&#39;s wrist crease to the tip of his or her fingers. The glove  130  is therefore required to compensate for the width and thickness of the user&#39;s hand. The operation of embodiments of the present invention has been found to be unaffected with gloves that have closed fingers and open fingers. Open fingers  108  are used in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention to allow for long finger nails. Sizes for gloves  130  of the exemplary embodiment are able to be constructed with a relatively few number of sizes, such as S, M/L, and XL, due to the adaptive properties of the Spandex material used for the glove  130  of the exemplary embodiment. The use of some alternative materials might require additional sizes, such as XS, S, M, L, &amp; XL. These sizes compensate for different hand sizes and thicknesses. The gloves  130  of the exemplary embodiment are chosen to be right handed due to a desire for consistency of stocked product. The effectiveness of the exemplary embodiment is not compromised by using gloves  130  that are left or right handed, including having a left handed person using a right handed glove  130 . Further embodiments of the present invention use left handed gloves. Such left handed gloves might be required to accommodate those with special needs, such as amputees, persons with deformities, stroke victims, etc. 
     The two straps, wrist strap  106  and palm strap  112 , approximately 6″ in length with a 1″ Velcro strip that is approximately 3″ long. These two straps are attached by sewing the free end of the strap to the glove  130 . These two straps are also made of spandex in the exemplary embodiment. Both straps are attached by sewing to the pinky side of the glove (the ridge of the hand representing the lateral aspect of the 5th metacarpal). 
     The wrist strap  116  is attached at the crease of the wrist portion of glove  130 . The wrist strap  116  is used to secure the filler tube  408  and assist in stabilizing the bladder  402  within pouch  110 . The wrist strap  116  wraps around the wrist and attaches to the wrist section Velcro strip  120 , which is the other half of the Velcro strip that is attached by sewing it to the bottom side of the glove (posterior aspect of the distal end of the lower arm or the palm side of the wrist). The wrist section Velcro strip  120  of the exemplary embodiment is one inch long. The palm strap  112  is attached approximately at the location where the middle of the 5th metacarpal will fit into the glove. The palm strap  112  is placed across the dorsum of the hand and over the back of the pouch  110  and therefore the bladder  402 . The palm strap  112  wraps around the middle of the 1st metacarpal (or the base of the thumb) and attaches to the palm area Velcro strip  302  that is sewn into the palm of the glove  130 . The angle at which the palm area Velcro strip  302  is placed helps secure the positioning of the palm strap  112  so that its is placed so as to cover the Bladder  402 /PPA  420  by extending directly over the middle of the bladder. Palm strap  112  was further designed to help reduce the amount of air needed in the bladder  402  to apply enough pressure on the PPA  420  to be effective. Reducing the amount of air in the bladder  402  accomplishes two things: first, the bladder  402  does not have to be filled up so big that it looks scary, and second, this also helps control movement of the bladder  402  after it has been inflated. The palm strap  112  that covers the dorsum of the hand and the bladder is able to be embroidered with a logo. The glove  130  of the exemplary embodiment is made in a blue color because studies involving color therapy state that blue is a stress relieving color. For example, Peter Mendall, the founder of Color Puncture, lives in Germany and has documented healing terminal diseases using color puncture. One of the main colors that his research has found to be most consistent in his treatments was the color blue. (Especially the mid spectrum) 
     A pouch  110  that is sewn on the inside of the glove  110  is at the side of the glove where the glove lays on the dorsum of the hand. This pouch  110  holds the Bladder  402  PPA  420 . It is also constructed of a blue spandex in the exemplary embodiment. Proper placement of the pouch  110  supports the proper placement of the PPA  420  when the glove  130  is worn. The size of the  110  pouch helps control the bladder  402  from rolling over or coming out of the glove. The initial positioning of the bladder  402  helps reduce the amount of movement needed for positioning of the PPA  420  after the glove  130  is put on. 
     Components 
     The bladder  402  of the exemplary embodiment is made of a rubber that has been approved by the FDA for food preparation. This reduces the risk that contact with the skin might cause any adverse reactions. The bladder  402  of the exemplary embodiment is specifically designed to pull in the far end and the sides, thereby causing direct pressure in the up and down direction. This action causes the top of the bladder to press against the inside of the glove  130  and the palm strap  112 . The bottom side of the bladder  402  that has the PPA  420  attached to it pushes straight down onto the desired point on the web of the hand  602 . The design of the bladder avoids applying pressure to the dorsum of the hand. This excessive pressure can cause the index finger  610  to feel numb and may result in some discomfort. The filler tube  408  is selected to be 18 41  long and has a ⅛″ wall for flexibility. The length of the filler tube  408  was selected based upon an average of the distance from the crease of a person&#39;s wrist to the person&#39;s opposite hand when placed across his or her lap. 
     The bladder  402  of the exemplary embodiment is a pressure applicator and further presses the PPA  420  into the wearer&#39;s hand  602  with a yieldable force that improves comfort for the wearer and allows for movement of the wearer&#39;s hand  602  while applying a substantially constant force. Alternative embodiments provide a fixed arrangement, such as a C-clamp style force applicator, but do not accommodate movement of the wearer&#39;s hand and therefore can create discomfort by exerting excessive forces for some positions of the wearer&#39;s hand. 
     A Pressure Point Applicator  420  of the exemplary embodiment is made of stainless steel and is preferably shaped like a button with a base. The button  406  is 0.250″ dia., the base is 0.750″ dia., the height of the button is 0.437″. The thickness of the base plate  404  is 0.062″. The top of the button  406  is a full radius. The use of a full radius on the top of the button  406  improves the comfort for the wearer. These measurements are strongly related to the amount of pressure that is applied to the web of the hand by the glove and can impact the safeness of the use of the glove. These shapes and dimensions were arrived at by the inventor after testing hundreds of sizes and shapes, including different types of materials. 
     The pump bulb  412  that is used to inflate the bladder  402  is made of a soft synthetic material that is easy to squeeze or compress. The pump bulb  412  fills the bladder  402  with air each time the pump bulb  412  is compressed. The pump bulb  412  of the exemplary embodiment works with the slightest amount of pressure applied. The valve  110  allows you to control the amount of air in the bladder by simply turning a knurled knob  422  to the right to close the valve  110  and hold the air in the bladder  402  or release the air in the bladder  402  by turning the knob  422  to the left. The amount that the valve is turned to the left determines how fast the air is released from the bladder  402 . 
     The exemplary embodiment further includes a carrying case that is shown in  FIG. 16 . The case is made of polyester and has an 8″ plastic zipper. This case is also able to be embroidered with a logo. The case is preferably 6″×9″. 
     Summary of Assembly 
     The PPA  420  of the exemplary embodiment is attached to the bladder  402  by over-lapping the base  404  of the PPA  420  with a flap made of the same material as the bladder  402 . The PPA  420  is attached so as to allow the button portion  406  of the PPA  420  to be exposed. One end of the filler tube  408  is attached to the end of the bladder  402  and the other end of the filler tube  408  is attached to the valve  110  of the pump bulb  412 . The other end of the valve  110  is attached to the pump bulb  112 . The bladder  112  is placed into the pouch  110  that has been sewn into the dorsum part of the glove  130 . The secure fit provides for easy positioning of the PPA  420  when the glove  130  is placed on the hand  602 . The Velcro straps are preferably attached while the glove  130  is stored in the carrying case. 
     Usage of the Glove 
     First Step: Priming the Point: Proper operation of the exemplary embodiment begins by the user finding the Hegu point  608  of his or her hand. In order to find the Hegu point  608  and thereby “prime the point,” the user finds two bones within his or her hand  608 . A first bone is the bone going to his or her thumb  604  and the other bone is the bone going to his or her index finger  610 . The user then follows these bones up towards the user&#39;s wrist until they meet. Just in front of this point is Hegu point  608 , located at the beginning to the web of the user&#39;s hand  602 . The user primes the Hegu point by squeezing this point with his or her index finger and thumb for 10 seconds. 
     Second Step: Preparing the Glove:  FIG. 8  illustrates a prepared glove  800  that is ready for use. The straps, i.e., wrist strap  116  and palm strap  112 , of the glove  130  are opened. The user should ensure that the Velcro that is sewn onto the glove is facing down.  FIG. 9  illustrates a user putting on the glove  900 . 
     Third Step: Closing the Straps:  FIG. 10  illustrates a worn glove ready for closure  1000 . The user places the filler hose  408  across his or her lap. The user then closes the straps of the glove  130 .  FIG. 11  illustrates closing the wrist strap  116  comfortably.  FIGS. 12 and 13  illustrate closing the palm strap  112  by placing it over the middle of the bladder  402  and attaching it to the palm area Velcro strip  302 . 
     Fourth Step: Securing the Position of the PPA:  FIG. 14  illustrates operating the valve  1400 . The user initially turns the knob  422  on the valve  410  to the right to close the valve  410  and cause the air to stay in the bladder  402 . The user is recommended to squeeze the bulb  412  twice.  FIG. 15  illustrates positioning a properly placed glove  1500 .  FIG. 15  specifically illustrates adjusting the position of the bladder  402  and PPA  420  once the glove  130  is on the user&#39;s hand. The user is now to make sure that the PPA  420  is felt in approximately the same place that he or she primed his or her hand, i.e., the Hegu point  608 . The PPA  420  of the exemplary embodiment does not have to be in an exact spot to work, but should be in the general vicinity of the Hegu point  608 . If the button  406  is touching one of the bones of the hand  602 , it will feel uncomfortable. By simply pushing the side of the bladder  402  slightly, as is shown in positioning  1500 , the user can easily and comfortably adjust the position of the PPA  420 . The PPA  420  usually falls right into place. If it does not, it takes only the slightest movement to adjust the PPA&#39;s position. 
     Fifth Step: Applying Pressure: Sit back, try to relax. The user then squeezes the pump bulb  412  slowly; squeeze the pump bulb  412  one squeeze at a time. When the pressure is right, the user will feel his or her pulse in his or her hand. This is plenty of pressure for the glove to work. 
     Sixth Step: The user is to breathe in through his or her nose and out through his or her mouth, slowly. Relief will be felt soon and within a few minutes the headache will be gone. 
     When the headache has been completely relieved, turn the knob  422  on the valve  410  to the left to release the air in the bladder  402 .  FIG. 16  illustrates a carrying case for the glove  130  and associated materials. After use, the user is able to take off the glove  130  and place it back in the carrying case. 
     Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, those having ordinary skill in the art will understand that changes can be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is not to be restricted, therefore, to the specific embodiments. Furthermore, it is intended that the appended claims cover applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.