Provided herein are methods of nerve blockage, for example for treatment of obesity, heart failure, cardiovascular disease, muscle spasms, chronic pain, or urinary retention in a patient. The method comprises first heating a nerve above physiological temperature (e.g., 37° C. in a human), such as from 43° C. to 54° C. for a duration that leads to reversible nerve blockage as opposed to nerve damage. Second, reversible nerve blockage is produced by cooling the nerve below physiological temperature to a temperature in which reversible nerve blockage is achieved, for example from 15° C. to 30° C.

A heating element includes an electrically insulating layer; resistive layer formed of a positive temperature coefficient material; and an electrically conductive layer disposed between the electrically insulating layer and the resistive layer and including a first bus and a second bus that is spaced apart from the first bus, the resistive layer electrically connecting the first bus and the second bus. The electrically insulating layer, the electrically conductive layer, and the resistive layer are stacked to form a lamination and the lamination having a thickness and a width and length extending orthogonal to the thickness. The lamination may have slits extending through the thickness thereof and along a portion of the length thereof. Terminals may be connected to the buses and arranged to provide a counter current flow pattern across the lamination. The lamination may be used in a warming device and in connection with a patient warming system.

A method of promoting secretion of a growth hormone includes the step of applying a thermal stimulus to specific sites on a body surface of the subject. The step of applying the thermal stimulus includes the steps of placing two or more guide elements made of two different kinds of metals respectively on at least two different sites of the specific sites, and controlling a temperature of the guide elements to be a range from 40 to 505 C., thereby applying the thermal stimulus to the specific sites according to a thermal stimulus pattern so as to increase a rate of blood flow in the subject by 60% or more by the application of thermal stimulus.

A heating implement includes a sheet-shaped main body sheet having an exothermic element, and a projection part sheet provided on a surface on one side of the main body sheet; the projection part sheet has a projection part projecting toward the one side, where a profile of a relationship between a load and an amount of crush includes a first region in which the amount of crush increases as the load increases, and a second region located on a side in which a value on a first axis is larger than that in the first region and having a larger increase rate of the amount of crush associated with increase in the load than the first region; and a range of the second region is wider than that of the first region in a direction of the first axis.

Embodiments herein relate to medical devices and methods for using the same to treat cancerous tumors within a bodily tissue. A medical device system is included having an electric field generating circuit configured to generate one or more electric fields and a control circuit in communication with the electric field generating circuit. The control circuit configured to control delivery of the one or more electric fields from the electric field generating circuit. The system can include two or more electrodes to deliver the electric fields to a site of a cancerous tumor within a patient and a temperature sensor to measure the temperature of tissue at the site of the cancerous tumor. The control circuit can cause the electric field generating circuit to generate one or more electric fields at frequencies selected from a range of between 10 kHz to 1 MHz. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Methods and systems for thermoregulation of injured tissue, medical specimens and other perishable materials are disclosed. Thermoregulation systems can comprise a thermoelectric device comprising a thermoelectric element within a flexible sleeve such that the sleeve can be applied circumferentially within an orthopedic positioner. Methods for shipping medical specimens under precise temperature control are disclosed by actively regulating the temperature within containers and at the surface of the specimen. Methods for treating injured tissue that demonstrate increased precision and control are disclosed.

There is disclosed a warming blanket having a metalized fabric exterior layer and an interior heating element made of a carbon fiber mat or carbon veil. The warming blanket includes electrodes that are formed of a conductive ink which extends through the width of the carbon veil.

Embodiments herein relate to medical devices and methods for using the same to treat cancerous tumors within a bodily tissue. A medical device system is included having an electric field generating circuit configured to generate one or more electric fields and a control circuit in communication with the electric field generating circuit. The control circuit configured to control delivery of the one or more electric fields from the electric field generating circuit. The system can include two or more electrodes to deliver the electric fields to a site of a cancerous tumor within a patient and a temperature sensor to measure the temperature of tissue at the site of the cancerous tumor. The control circuit can cause the electric field generating circuit to generate one or more electric fields at frequencies selected from a range of between 10 kHz to 1 MHz. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Provided herein are methods of nerve blockage, for example for treatment of obesity, heart failure, cardiovascular disease, muscle spasms, chronic pain, or urinary retention in a patient. The method comprises first heating a nerve above physiological temperature (e.g. 37 C. in a human), such as from 43 C. to 54 C. for a duration that leads to reversible nerve blockage as opposed to nerve damage. Second, reversible nerve blockage is produced by cooling the nerve below physiological temperature to a temperature in which reversible nerve blockage is achieved, for example from 15 C. to 30 C.

Embodiments of the present invention disclose an itching relieving apparatus and an operating method thereof. The itching relieving apparatus includes a temperature control unit, a heating element, and a blue LED unit; the temperature control unit is configured to: supply power and start the blue LED unit and receive a feedback resistance coefficient corresponding to a current temperature of the heating element; after controlling the heating element to heat up to a target temperature, power on and off the heating element according to the feedback resistance coefficient to keep the temperature of the heating element stable; the heating element is configured to supply heat; and the blue LED unit is configured to start working under the power supply of the temperature control unit, and stabilize a corresponding power supply. By implementing the itching relieving apparatus provided by the present invention, the itching relieving effect on patients is improved.