Apparatus and methods are provided for treating a human condition by providing an appendage chamber having a thermal exchange member. Negative pressure may be applied to a human appendage when placed within the appendage chamber. Blood flowing through the arteriovenous anastomosis (AVA) of the appendage may be heated or cooled at the thermal exchange member for therapeutic application of thermal energy to adjust blood viscosity in the human to alleviate symptoms associated with a number of autoimmune, circulatory, neurological, lymphatic, and endocrinal maladies. A load sensor may be coupled to the thermal exchange member and configured to measure a force of the appendage applied to the thermal exchange member. In addition, a negative pressure sensor may measure pressure within the appendage chamber.

Systems and methods for improving or preventing a condition, such as the treatment of pain syndromes and migraine headaches are disclosed. A method for treating pain can include one or more of the steps including identifying a region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue; positioning the region of the patient comprising glabrous tissue into an enclosed chamber; adjusting the relative humidity of the enclosed chamber sufficient to create a physiologic effect. The method need not involve altering the temperature within the enclosed chamber.

A method and apparatus in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present invention includes applying adhesive onto skin of a human subject. An applicator is then brought into contact with the adhesive such the adhesive is disposed between the applicator and the subject's skin. The applicator is activated to cool a tissue region via the subject's skin, via the heat-transfer surface of the applicator, and via the adhesive. While the tissue region cools, the adhesive also cools, thereby reversibly strengthening adhesion between the subject's skin and the heat-transfer surface and forming a strong bond therebetween. The strengthened adhesion inhibits any movement of the applicator relative to the skin. After cooling the tissue region, the adhesive is warmed, thereby weakening the adhesion which allows the heat-transfer surface of the applicator to be easily separated from the skin.

Cryosplint. In some embodiments, a cryosplint may include a vacuum splint and a cold pack. The vacuum splint may be configured to be wrapped around a body part of a patient and then have air evacuated therefrom in order to stabilize the body part. The cold pack may be configured to be attached to the vacuum splint in order to provide application of cold to the body part simultaneous to the vacuum splint stabilizing the body part.

The cooling system (100, 300, 400, 500, 700, 750) includes an applicator (101, 501, 701) configured to hold a predetermined amount of solid coolant and fluid coolant (117) to cool a targeted area of the body (162, 570) to crystalize the lipid-rich cells underneath the targeted area to reduce the fat cells. The applicator may include a thermoelectric cooler (TEC, 136, 704, 706) where the hot side is cooled by coolant held within the applicator. The cold side of the TEC may be thermally coupled to a cooling plate (138, 560) configured to cool a targeted area of the skin at a predetermined temperature range for a predetermined period of time. The cooling system may also be used to relieve localized pain at certain area of the body and/or utilized for cryotherapy.

A suction assembly is described. The suction assembly includes a therapy unit with a body that can apply a supplemental therapy to a skin surface. The suction assembly also includes a cup that can be removably connected to the therapy unit and that can interface with a skin surface to define a chamber within the cup. A pump of the therapy unit can reduce a pressure within the chamber to draw the skin surface into the chamber in a cupping therapy. In response to the skin surface being drawn into the chamber, the body can move in a longitudinal direction to maintain contact with the skin surface. A wall of the cup is translucent and the suction assembly is dimensioned to provide a user with a view into the chamber through the wall of the cup that is substantially unobstructed by the housing.

A device for a soft tissue treatment of a patient. The device includes an applicator including at least one electrode, a fastening mechanism to fix the applicator to a body part of a patient, and a control unit including a microprocessor to control the at least one electrode. The at least one electrode may provide a radiofrequency energy and an electric current. The radiofrequency energy may cause a heating of a soft tissue. The electric current may cause a muscle contraction. The body part includes a face or a chin.

A cryolipolysis device is provided. The cryolipolysis device includes a suction unit including a flange configured to press against a treatment area of a user, and a chamber contiguous with the flange that defines a cavity configured to receive an ice pack. The cryolipolysis device also includes a manual vacuum device configured to produce suction within the chamber of the suction unit to generate a vacuum to maintain the flange against the treatment area of the user.

A temperature management device for warming or cooling a person's body includes a device body, which has a fluid conduit for flowing fluid through the device body. The device body includes a contact surface to face and contact the person's body on which the device body is applied and is configured to conform to the person's body wherein the contact surface contacts the person's body and follows a surface topography of the person's body, and further provides a thermally conductive surface for transmitting thermal energy from the fluid flowing through the fluid conduit to the person's body.

Described herein are various embodiments of differential air pressure systems and components for differential air pressure systems. The air pressure systems comprise a chamber for receiving at least a portion of a user's body. Pressure in the chamber can be changed to adjust force on the user's body. Described herein are various methods and related structures for sealing a user into a pressurizable chamber. Also described herein are various methods and related structures for changing the shape and/or height of the chamber. Described herein are various types and configurations of chambers and support structures for chambers. Also described herein are various methods and related systems for treating various conditions using the differential air pressure systems, including but not limited to obesity, cardiac disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, or Down Syndrome.