Patent ID: RE42489

Claim:
A method of conducting an intramuscular stimulation therapy session, comprising: (A) locating a first muscle motor end plate zone or region of adjacent motor end plate zones within an afflicted muscle of a patient; (B) inserting a pin into the patient's flesh such that an exposed conductive tip of said pin is placed within or adjacent one of said motor end plate zones; and (C) providing localized electrical stimulation to said motor end plate zone or region of motor end plate zones by conducting an electrical current through an insulated inserted shaft portion of said pin to said exposed conductive tip, said current flowing from said tip, through said motor end plate zone or region of motor end plate zones and to a reference electrode space from said pin, said electrical stimulation serving to elicit twitch responses of muscle fibers associated with motor end plates within said motor end plate zones, unless said motor end plate zones are or become refractory to electrical stimulation; (D) withdrawing said pin from the patient upon determining that the motor end plate zones are or have become refractory to the electrical stimulation, or, in the event that twitching is evoked by the electrical stimulation, within a time period of said twitching; and (E) repeating steps (A) through (D) to elicit twitches at a total of at least four treatment points within the afflicted muscle.