A system and method for portably delivering a therapeutic dose of heat to the skin to relieve pain, reduce accommodation of thermal nerve receptors, promote healing, and deliver transcutaneous medications. The heating device is user programmable or preprogrammed to deliver according to a variety of cycles, patterns and algorithms. The cycles, patterns, and algorithms of the heat are programmable parameters, are under the user's control, and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the device. The heating algorithms are designed to interact with an individual user's thermal nerve receptors and other tissue characteristics and to reduce the tendency of the receptors to accommodate to the external stimuli with back pain, muscular pain, dysmenorrhea, headaches, fibromyalgia, post-herpetic neuralgia, nerve injuries and neuropathies, and sprains and strain. The device can also be used in conjunction with existing medical devices such as Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators (TENS) to increase the effectiveness of TENS devices.

In accordance with one embodiment, as originally conceived, a holder system is given that comprises a main body with a compartment for storing an energy source, such as a heating or cooling pack, and a method for securin.sub.g the source within the compartment. The main body at one end contains a bottom cord with 2 loops, one at each end. A top drawcord is attached at the opposite end of the main body. Each end of the top drawcord wraps around a host object and is inserted into one of the bottom cord loops. Cord stops attached to each end of the top drawcord cinch the main body, with energy source, around a host.

A medical cooling device and a method for operating the same are provided.

An electronic heating/cooling garment includes: a neck part, a collar (neckband), or an underarm part where a Peltier device (31) is placed; and a front body or a back body where a heating medium circulation path (35) and a battery (35) are placed, the battery (35) being configured to supply electric power to a pump (341) and the Peltier device (31). The heating medium circulation path (35) is composed of a flexible thermally conductive material having a tubular shape and holds a heating medium therein in an airtight manner. The heating medium circulation path has a first electrode and a second electrode on its outer surface. The first and second electrodes are configured to supply the electric power from the battery (35) to the Peltier device (31) and the pump (341).

The present application relates to systems and methods for altering temperature in a mammalian body. Optionally, the systems and methods can be used to lower or raise core body temperature of a mammalian subject. Optionally, the systems and methods can be used to lower or raise the temperature of glabrous skin of a mammalian subject.

A heating/cooling therapy treatment pad system incorporates a plurality of therapy pads that can be coupled together by connectors and attachments to form an integrated therapy pad assembly. The thermal pads have pouches for receiving thermal inserts that may be heated or chilled. The thermal inserts may be cylindrical in shape and there may be thermal insert gaps, or spaces between the pouches to enable better conformability of the therapy pad to a person's body, such as around the neck. The heating/cooling therapy treatment pad system may include a neck therapy pad, spine therapy pad, head and face therapy pads, shoulder therapy pad, lumbar therapy pad, armpit thermal therapy pad and a thermal therapy pad vest. The system of pads interconnect to provide tailored thermal therapy to multiple areas of a user's body and may be used to effectuate rapid cooling and in particular for those suffering from heat exhaustion.

A neck fan, configured to be worn around a neck of a user, includes: an inner shell, disposed near the neck; an outer shell, connected to the inner shell and disposed opposite to the inner shell and away from the neck, wherein the outer shell and the inner shell cooperatively define a receiving space; a plurality of fan assemblies. Each fan assembly is received in the receiving space and connected to the inner shell and the outer shell. Each of the inner shell and the outer shell defines a plurality of air inlets, each fan assembly corresponds to both the air inlets in the inner shell and the air inlets in the outer shell, each of the plurality of fan assemblies is configured to intake air from an outside of the neck fan into the receiving space through the corresponding plurality of air inlets.

The cooling and heating neckband is adapted for use with a person. The person is further defined with a head and a neck. The cooling and heating neckband is worn by the person. The cooling and heating neckband transfers heat to and from the person to make the person more comfortable. The cooling and heating neckband comprises a heat transfer structure, a foam layer, and a covering structure. The heat transfer structure is an apparatus that transfers heat to and from the person during physical activity. The foam layer is a cushion that covers the heat transfer structure. The covering structure is a textile-based structure. The heat transfer structure and the foam layer are inserted in the covering structure. The covering structure attaches the cooling and heating neckband to the person.

A thermal pack including: a pouch having a thermal material; covers for covering the pouch. The covers having field portions and first and second bonding edges peripherally outside the first and second field portions. A bendable and deformable support ring formed of sheet metal is disposed between the first and second bonding edges. The pouch is retained between the first and second covers by: at least indirect bonding of a first inner surface of the first bonding edge to a first side surface of the support ring and at least indirect bonding of a second inner surface of the second bonding edge to a second side surface of the support ring; and/or sewing an inner periphery of the first bonding edge to an inner periphery of the second bonding edge and/or an outer periphery of the first bonding edge to an outer periphery of the second bonding edge.

The thermal treatment device is primarily to be wrapped about one's neck. The thermal treatment device is an elongated container, like a sleeve, having two sides that may be air permeable. The container has one or more aligned pockets capable of holding gel packs. A source of power is placed in one pocket of the container and has on-off switch. Also included is a microfan device being placed in a pocket and receiving power from the source of power. The microfan device has air outlet and air inlet openings thereabout. The microfan blades are positioned between a top row of air inlet holes and a bottom row of air outlet holes. The microfan blows air into the gel pack pockets past the cooled gel packs and then exits through the one or more air permeable sides to cool the user. The gel packs may be removable.