Patent ID: 7610100

Claim:
A method of treating a patient with osteoarthritis, said method comprising: implanting a system control unit at least partially within said patient; configuring one or more stimulation parameters to treat osteoarthritis; programming said system control unit with said one or more stimulation parameters; generating a stimulus configured to treat said osteoarthritis with said system control unit in accordance with said one or more stimulation parameters; and applying said stimulus to a stimulation site within said patient; wherein said stimulation site comprises at least one or more of an artery supplying a joint affected by said osteoarthritis, a spinal cord, a spinal segment supplying somatic sensation at said affected joint, a spinal segment supplying sympathetic control of said affected joint, a sympathetic ganglia, a nucleus gracilis, a nucleus cuneatis, a cranial nerve, a deep brain location, a hypothalamus, a thalamus, and a motor cortex; wherein said system control unit is coupled to one or more electrodes disposed on an outer surface of said system control unit; and wherein said stimulus comprises a stimulation current delivered to said stimulation site via said electrodes.