Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02601650 2007-09-13
METHOD FOR ALLEVIATION OF MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to methods of treating and
alleviating various symptoms arising from the condition commonly referred
to as menopause.
Back rg ound
[0002] Menopause is the physiological cessation of menstrual cycles in
human females caused by lessening amounts of hormones such as estrogen
and progesterone in the woman's body. It typically occurs between the ages
of 45 and 55. The date menopause occurs is defined as the day after the
woman's final menstrual period ceases. "Perimenopause" refers to the time
period before and after menopause during which the fluctuation in hormonal
levels causes various symptoms in the woman, referred to herein as
"menopausal symptoms". These include vasomotor symptoms such as hot
flashes (periods during which the woman experiences a feeling of intense heat
with sweating and rapid heartbeat), palpitations and related sleep
disturbances;
skeletal and muscular symptoms such as muscle, joint and back pain and
osteoperosis; psychological symptoms such as anxiety, depression,
irritability,
memory loss, fatigue, mood swings and loss of concentration; sexual
symptoms such as decreased libido, vaginal dryness, inability to reach orgasm
and pain during sexual intercourse; skin and soft tissue symptoms such as skin
thinning and decreased elasticity, formication and breast atrophy; and
urogenital atrophic symptoms such as urgency of urination, incontinence,
dryness, itching and bleeding. Various medications are used to treat
menopausal symptoms, such as hormone replacement therapy and anti-
depressants as well as natural supplements such as black cohosh. Meditation
is also practised as a treatment for menopausal symptoms. Existing treatments
are not universally or consistently effective in relieving such symptoms.
CA 02601650 2007-09-13
-2-
[0003] The co-inventor of the present invention has previously
discovered that pain resulting from exposed or damaged nerve ends,
commonly referred to as phantom limb pain, can be relieved or alleviated by
shielding the painful area with a cloth woven from a yarn containing threads
of a conductive metal. As disclosed in United States Patent No. 4,653,473,
the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, which issued on
31 March, 1987, the yarn of the cloth used in this previously-discovered
method is preferably composed of from 2 to 35 % by weight of conductive
metal filament, and the balance of natural or synthetic textile fiber such as
nylon. The metal may be any conductor, but a stainless steel alloy has been
found to be effective.
[0004] The co-inventor of the present invention has also discovered that
a similar method can be used to alleviate delayed onset muscle soreness as
disclosed in United States Patent no. 6,146,351 issued 14 November, 2000,
the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. See also Zhang
J., Clement D, and Taunton J. "The Efficacy of Farabloc, an Electromagnetic
Shield, in Attenuating Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness" Clin J. Sport Med,
2000 Jan;10(1) :15-21. PMID : 106995845 [PubMed - indexed for
MEDLINE]. The present co-inventor has also previously discovered that a
similar method may be implemented successfully in the treatment of
inflammatory diseases, including fibromyalgia in humans and other arthritic
and rheumatoid diseases by shielding affected areas from high frequency
electromagnetic radiation while not shielding the area from low frequency
radiation. See United States published patent application publication no.
2005/0070191 entitled "Method and Article for Treatment of Inflammatory
Disease", the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
CA 02601650 2007-09-13
-3-
Summary of Invention
[0005] The present invention provides a method of alleviating symptoms
of menopause in a woman comprising shielding a significant portion of the
woman's body from high frequency electromagnetic radiation for a period of
time sufficient to reduce the symptoms while permitting low frequency
electromagnetic radiation to reach the affected areas.
[0006] The invention further provides a method of alleviating symptoms
of menopause in a woman comprising the steps of: (i) providing a sheet of
cloth comprising between two and thirty-five percent by weight of a
continuous system of electrically conductive fibres; ii) placing said sheet on
said woman's bed and (ii) said woman sleeping at night on top of and/or under
said sheet.
[0007] The invention further provides a method of alleviating symptoms
of menopause in a woman comprising the steps of: (i) providing an article of
clothing configured to cover a significant area of the woman's body with a
cloth comprising between two and thirty-five percent by weight of a
continuous system of electrically conductive fibres; and (ii) the woman
wearing said article of clothing over a period of time sufficient to reduce
the
symptoms.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0008] In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
FIG. 1 illustrates a bed sheet made from a cloth according to the
invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates a cummerbund made from a cloth according to the
invention.
CA 02601650 2007-09-13
-4-
Description
[0009] Recently there has been increasing interest in electrobiological
effects in humans. The use of low frequency electromagnetic fields to promote
bone repair is well established. (See Pilla, "Low-intensity electromagnetic
and
mechanical modulation of bone growth and repair: are they equivalent?" J
Orthrop Asc 2002; 7(3): 420-8). Electroporation, the use of high frequency,
high voltage pulsed electrostimulation of cellular tissue to increase the
permeability of the cell membrane has become well established and is used to
enhance chemotherapy drug delivery (Neumann et al. "Fundamentals of
electroporative delivery of drugs and genes" Bioelectrochem Bioenerg 1999
Feb; 48(1): 3-16; Gehl "Electroporation: theory and methods, perspectives for
drug delivery, gene therapy and research", Acta Physiol Scand 2003 Apr;
177(4); 437-47). Recent studies suggest low frequency electromagnetic fields
reduce permeability of cell membranes ((Bordiushkov et al. "Structural-
Functional changes in lymphocytes and erythrocyte membranes after exposure
to alternating magnetic field" Vpor Med Khim 2000 Jan-Feb; 46(1):72-80;
Heida et al. "Investigating membrane breakdown of neuronal cells exposed to
non-uniform electric fields by finite-element modelling and experiments" IEEE
Trans Biomed Eng 2002 Oct; 49(10): 1195-203). The present inventors have
discovered that menopausal symptoms are reduced by shielding areas of the
woman's body from high frequency electromagnetic fields. It is believed that
by blocking high frequency EMF, the same effect on cell membranes is
achieved as if low frequency EMF is applied, namely reduced permeability of
cell membranes. For purposes of this application, "high frequency
electromagnetic fields" means electromagnetic fields having a frequency
greater than about 1 megahertz. "Low frequency electromagnetic fields"
means electromagnetic fields having a frequency less than about 1 megahertz.
This may be accomplished, for example, by clothing the woman in a cover,
cummerbund or other form of apparel or wrapping with a sheet of textile where
CA 02601650 2007-09-13
-5-
the textile is made from a radiation-shielding textile, or lying at night on a
sheet of the radiation-shielding textile. Based on the recent findings
regarding
electrobiologic effects, it is believed that beneficial results of use of the
radiation-shielding textile material may arise from blockage of high frequency
EMF to prevent increased permeability of the cell membrane and permitting
low frequency EMF to reach the cell membranes to decrease permeability of
the cell membranes.
[0010] A suitable radiation-shielding textile for the practice of the
method of the invention which both provides the appropriate electromagnetic
shielding and the comfort of a standard non-metallic textile is a fabric sold
under the trade-mark FARABLOC. High frequency electromagnetic fields
greater than 1 MHz such as radio waves are completely blocked by double
layers of the FARABLOC material. However low frequency EMF are not
blocked. The yarn from which the textile is woven is preferably composed of
approximately 13% by weight of stainless steel filaments but may be from 2%
to 35% by weight of stainless steel filaments. The balance of the yarn is a
synthetic nylon fiber such as nylon. The yarn has an electrical conductance of
approximately 330 ohms per centimeter. The preferred fabric has a warp of
24.5 threads per centimeter and a woof of 24.5 threads per centimeter but
fabrics of other characteristics, such as knitted fabrics also will be
effective.
The weight of the woven fabric is preferably approximately 180 grams per
square meter. The preferred binding is L 1/1 - that is, one thread up and one
thread down. The fabric may be knitted as well as woven. Other conductive
materials would also be suitable for the conductive fibers, such as copper,
silver or ceramics. Other natural or synthetic non-conductive fibers would
also
be suitable to comprise the yarn. It would also be suitable to utilize cloth
woven or knitted of alternate threads of conductive and textile fibers.
CA 02601650 2007-09-13
-6-
[00111 At the basis of the present invention is the discovery that shielding
areas of a woman's body from high frequency electromagnetic radiation while
permitting low frequency electromagnetic radiation to reach the woman's body
has beneficial results in the alleviation of menopausal symptoms. According
to the method of the invention, the woman suffering from menopausal
symptoms sleeps at night on a bedsheet 12 made from a double layer of
FARABLOC material 10 (Fig. 1). The woman preferably sleeps on the sheet
ofFARABLOC material directly or with an intermediate bedsheet between the
woman's body and the FARABLOC material. The method also works if the
FARABLOC material is used as the outer sheet or blanket on top of the
woman's body or as both the lower sheet and outer sheet thereby covering the
woman's body on both sides while sleeping. Instead, or in addition, during the
day the woman 22 wears, for example, a cummerbund, as designated by
reference numeral 20 in Figure 2, made from a double layer of FARABLOC
material. The longer the period during which the cummerbund is worn, the
better the results. The cummerbund 20 need not be constructed entirely of the
conductive cloth, but the cummerbund should have a large enough area of the
conductive cloth 10 to cover a significant area of the woman's body. While the
method preferably uses a cummerbund 20, other forms of apparel such as a
shirt, pants or jumpsuit may be used, or a sheet or wrap secured about the
woman's body using hook and loop fasteners, for example.
Case Study 1
[0012) In a first study carried out on a woman aged 57, the woman was
suffering from hot flashes at night, disrupted sleep and increased sweating at
nighttime due to menopause. A double layered sheet of the FARABLOC
material was placed on the woman's bed on which she slept. The woman
experienced decreased hot flashes and more restful sleep the first night the
FARABLOC material was used and relief of the menopausal symptoms was
CA 02601650 2007-09-13
-7-
consistent thereafter when she slept on the FARABLOC material. When the
FARABLOC material was removed the symptoms began to return, but
improved again when the use of the FARABLOC material was resumed.
Case Study 2
[0013] In a second study carried out on a woman aged 52, the woman was
suffering from nighttime sweating, general aching at night and disrupted sleep
due to menopause. A double layered sheet of the FARABLOC material was
placed on the woman's bed on which she slept. After several nights the
woman experienced decreased awakening from sleep, decreased sweating at
night and decreased general aching. This continued most nights and the woman
felt more rested using the FARABLOC material. When the FARABLOC
material was removed some symptoms returned, but went away the first night
when the use of the FARABLOC material was resumed.
Case Study 3
[0014] In a third study carried out on a woman aged 51, the woman was
suffering from hot flashes at night which required changes of sleep apparel,
general aching feeling at night and disrupted sleep due to menopause. A
double layered sheet of the FARABLOC material was placed on the woman's
bed on which she slept. The woman experienced decreased hot flashes on the
first night. No further change in sleep apparel due to perspiration was
required. The woman experienced decreased general aching and felt more
rested when the FARABLOC material was used. The relief of the
menopausal symptoms was sustained most nights thereafter when she slept on
the FARABLOC material. When the FARABLOC material was removed,
some symptoms returned, but went away again the first night when the use of
the FARABLOC material was resumed.
CA 02601650 2007-09-13
-8-
Case Study 4
[0015] In a fourth study carried out on a woman aged 54, the woman was
suffering from heat waves and sweating day and night due to menopause which
required changes of clothing day and night. A double layered sheet of the
FARABLOC material was placed on the woman's bed on which she slept. The
woman experienced a 90% reduction in heat waves the first night and slept
through the night without sweating. This was consistent for 10 nights but
during that time during the daytime heat waves continued, causing heavy
sweating. The woman then commenced in addition to wear a cummerbund of
the FARABLOC material as shown in Fig. 2 during the day. This caused an
80% reduction in the daytime symptoms. The woman experienced the start of
heat waves but within 1 or 2 minutes the heat wave did not develop further and
hot flashes, hot body-feeling and sweating did not occur. When use of the
FARABLOC material was discontinued for one day and night the symptoms
returned.
Case Study 5
[0016] In a fifth study carried out on a woman aged 58, the woman was
suffering from hot flashes at night, disrupted sleep and increased sweating at
night due to menopause. A double layered sheet of the FARABLOC material
was placed on the woman's bed on which she slept. On the first night the
woman experienced decreased hot flashes, less sleep interruption and more
restful sleep. The relief of the menopausal symptoms was consistent thereafter
when she slept on the FARABLOC material. When the FARABLOC material
was removed, symptoms began to return, but improved again the first night
when the use of the FARABLOC material was resumed.
[0017] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the
foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the
CA 02601650 2007-09-13
-9-
practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.
For example, while a woven cloth has been specified in the description of the
preferred embodiment, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a
non-
woven cloth having a grid of conductive filaments will also operate
effectively
in the method of the invention while retaining the qualities of a normal
fabric.
It will also be apparent that many variations in the type of conductive thread
or yarn and textile fibers used in the cloth and in the manner of weaving or
knitting the cloth are possible in the practice of this invention without
departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is
to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following
claims.
