Patent ID: 7544171

Claim:
A method of treating a patient having injured or otherwise diseased nerves to stimulate by accelerating or initiating the regeneration and repair of injured or diseased nerves which comprises the step of: treating the patient with injured or damaged nerves; activating an acoustic pressure pulse shock wave generator or source to emit a pressure pulse or acoustic shock waves from a shock wave head, the pressure pulse being an acoustic pulse which includes several cycles of positive and negative pressure, wherein the pressure pulse has an amplitude of the positive part of such a cycle should be above 0.1 MPa and the time duration of the pressure pulse is from below a microsecond to about a second, rise times of the positive part of the first pressure cycle in the range of nano-seconds (ns) up to some milli-seconds (ms), the acoustic shock waves being very fast pressure pulses having amplitudes above 0.1 MPa and rise times of the amplitude being below 100's of ns, the duration of the shock wave is typically below 1-3 micro-seconds (μs) for the positive part of a cycle and typically above some micro-seconds for the negative part of a cycle; and subjecting the nerves to convergent, divergent, planar or near planar acoustic shock waves or pressure pulses in the absence of a focal point impinging the nerves stimulating a cellular response in the absence of creating cavitation bubbles evidenced by not experiencing the sensation of hemorrhaging in the nerve caused by the emitted waves or pulses wherein the nerve is positioned within an unobstructed path of the emitted shock waves or pressure pulses; and away from any localized geometric focal volume or point of the emitted shock waves wherein the emitted shock waves or pressure pulses either have no geometric focal volume or point or have a focal volume or point ahead of the nerve or beyond the nerve thereby passing the emitted waves or pulses through the nerve while avoiding having any localized focal point within the nerve wherein the emitted pressure pulses or shock waves are convergent, divergent, planar or near planar and the pressure pulse shock wave generator or source is based on electro-hydraulic, electromagnetic, piezoceramic or ballistic wave generation having an energy density value ranging as low as 0.00001 mJ/mm 2 to a high end of below 1.0 mJ/mm 2 ; and by administering an effective exposure of pressure pulses or acoustic shock waves in a pulse or wave pattern having a low energy density less than 1.0 mJ/mm 2 per shock wave directly to a zone or treatment site of the injured or diseased nerves initiates or accelerates the regeneration and repair process wherein the zone or treatment site of the injured or diseased nerves is positioned directly in a path of the pulse or wave pattern in absence of any focal point or if a focal point exists, the zone or treatment site is positioned away from any focal point wherein the energy density is selected to avoid cell damage to the injured or otherwise diseased nerves within the treatment site or zone.