METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING MENOPAUSAL HOT FLASHES

摘要

A device and method for non-invasive treatment of menopausal hot flashes. The device includes a hand-held assembly sized to be held in the palm of a user's hand; a cooling plate within the assembly and a cradle which docks with the assembly. The cradle plugs into an AC power source and includes a Peltier-effect element for cooling a contact plate. The contact plate in the cradle abuts the cooling plate in the docked assembly and cools the same, keeping it at the lowered temperature and ready for immediate use. The cradle includes a heat sink for dissipating heat generated by the Peltier-effect element. The assembly is undocked from the cradle. The cooled plate is placed against the skin on the back of the neck and is moved back and forth to stimulate cold thermoreceptors in the skin, thereby counteracting the false trigger which caused the hot flash.

主权项

1. A device for the non-invasive treatment of menopausal hot flashes comprising:
a hand-held assembly sized to be held in the palm of a user's hand; a cooling plate disposed within the hand-held assembly and being adapted to be placed in contact with a region of a user's skin to cool the same at the onset of a hot flash; a docking cradle configured to receive the hand-held assembly and to lower the temperature of the cooling plate disposed therein; and wherein the cradle keeps the docked cooling plate at the lowered temperature and therefore ready for use.