Patent ID: 7871427

Claim:
A heating device for portably delivering a therapeutic dose of heat to the skin to reduce accommodation of thermal nerve receptors, comprising: a portable heat delivery element contained within a housing adaptable to be worn proximate to the skin of a user; a power source electrically coupled to the portable heat delivery element; and a microprocessor control unit operably connected to the portable heat delivery element, the control unit having an activation element moveable between a first on-position and a second off-position to allow a user to control activation of the control unit; wherein the microprocessor control unit programmed to at least one of a predetermined variable heat cycle, the variable heat cycle having at least a ramp-up phase, a steady heat phase, a ramp-down phase and a soak heat phase, wherein the temperature differential between the steady heat phase and the soak heat phase is less than 5° C., and wherein the soak heat phase is the lowest temperature in the heat cycle and wherein the soak heat phase is above normothermia.