Background of the Invention There have been many claims for the treatment of various illnesses and conditions using magnetic field therapy. In general the claimed benefits and suggested procedures have been vague, with unspecific health benefits from the application of static or dynamic magnetic fields [T. Barker Beng Electricity Magnetism and the Body: Some Uses and Abuses, J. Roy. Soc. Health 1994: vol. 114(2): 91 - 97].

More specific devices are known for treatment of prostatitis, which depend entirely on thermal effects. A high power radio frequency magnetic field produces localized heating of the tissue using the well-known induction heating effect. Among the drawbacks of this technique is that tissue is exposed to a very high RF power density.

Among the known methods and devices for the treatment of chronic, non-specific prostatitis involves the use of a silicon covered magnetized rod, 10-20 mm in diameter and 200 mm long [I. A. Shein, L. I. Shein, M.K. Klimovich, reported in The use of magnetotherapy in complex treatment of patients with chronic non-specific prostatitis.

Mechanisms of treating influence of magnetic fields: Collection of science works; edited by A. M. Demecky and V. N. Chernow, Rostov-on-Don, 1987: 163-165]. In such method, the rod is introduced in the patients colon to a depth of 120 mm, for 20-30 minutes every day for 10 day's: for half this time the rod is also rotated within the colon. At the same time antibiotics and chemotherapy are also administered. The following are some of the disadvantages in the use of this method: a) it is necessary to introduce the magnetic rod inside the patient's colon, which is painful and bothersome to the patient;

b) a strong magnetic field (10-40 milliTesla) is used during the procedure, which may have various side effects. By contrast, the magnetic field of the Earth does not exceed 100 microTesla; and c) it is still necessary to use antibiotics and chemotherapy during this procedure.

Another magnetotherapeutic method and device is known for the treatment of sexual disorders [I. Gorpinchenko, A. Smerdov, O. Borodiouk, Magnetic apparatus for curing sexual disorders; Ukrainian Journal of Medical Techniques and Technology, 1995 N 1,2: 28-312EJ.

In such method, the patient is exposed to damped trains of magnetic oscillations with a period of 20 - 1100 nanoseconds and an intensity from 0.12 to 18 microTesla and a decrement of damping of at least 0.05, while repetition rate between these trains is in the range of 14-20 Hz.

A device for such method comprises a pulse generator, a pulse former and an emitter coil, where said generator operates at a frequency between 17 and 20 Hz, and where the electromagnetic impulses from said emitter coil have an amplitude in the range of 0.12 to 18 microTesla and a decrement of damping of at least 0.05. However, the method and device taught in this reference does not provide a treatment for prostatitis.

Other known methods are provided in US patents 5,197,940, 5,468,210, and 5,470,846.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a method for treating chronic prostatitis where the patient is exposed to damped trains of magnetic oscillations with a period 20 - 1100 nanoseconds and an intensity from 0.12 to 18 microTesla and a decrement of damping of at least 0.05. The repetition rate between the trains is in the range 25-30 Hz.

The invention also provides a device for treating chronic prostatitis comprising a housing containing a pulse generator, a pulse former, and an emitter coil wherein an output from the pulse generator is connected to an input of the pulse former and an output from the pulse former drives the emitter coil, and wherein the pulse generator operates at a frequency from about 25 to about 30 Hz.

The method and device of the present invention provide magnetotherapeutic treatment of chronic prostatitis without the need for drugs and without intrusion of a device into the patient's body.

Brief Description of the Drawings These and other features of the preferred embodiments of the invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description in which reference is made to the appended drawings wherein like elements are indicated with like numerals and wherein: Figure 1 shows a schematic of the magnetotherapeutic device for treatment chronic prostatitis.

Detailed Description of Drawings A preferred embodiment of the device comprises a timing, or pulse, generator 10.

which produces impulses at a frequency of 25-30 Hz, a pulse former 20, which forms impulses of current following the waveform of the timing generator, and an emitter coil 30.

In operation, the magnetotherapeutic device for treatment of chronic prostatitis functions as follows. Timing generator 10 produces impulses at a repetition rate of 33.3 to 40 milliseconds, or a frequency of 25 to 30 Hz. Any suitable oscillator circuit may be used. The output signal of timing generator 10 is connected to the input of pulse former 20, which produces current impulses at its output. This may be any circuit that produces short duration pulses from either the positive or negative edge of the timing generator waveform. It may be for example a monostable multivibrator or may be a simple as a capacitor in series with the timing generator signal.

The output of pulse former 20 drives emitter coil 30. which transforms the electrical impulses into an electromagnetic field. Any flat coil can be used for emitter 30. The inductance and capacitance of the emitter coil forms a resonant circuit at some frequency between 0.5 and 27 MHz. Each pulse of current from pulse former 20 thus produces a train of damped oscillations at the resonant frequency of the emitter coil. The desired field strength of the emitted magnetic component of the electromagnetic field is reached by using a suitable number of turns in the emitter coil, and the value of the current impulses produced with former 20. The frequency and damping of emitted electromagnetic waves depends from the inductance, capacitance and Q factor of the coil. In the preferred embodiment the Q factor of the coil is chosen to produce damped oscillations with a decrement of damping of no less than 0.05.

The described magnetotherapeutic device for the treatment of prostatitis produces magnetic held impulses with an amplitude in the preferred range of 0.12-18 microTesla and a preferred frequency range of 25-30 Hz. The choice of this frequency range of magnetic field

impulses is a preferred embodiment of the invention, which has produced positive results in clinical trials. The described device is used over a period of 3 weeks by the patient for at least 4 hours each day. The distance for placing the device from the region of the body being treated is proportional to the field strength emitted by the device. With the devices of the present invention having the preferred characteristics described above, they should preferably be worn within 12 cm from the region being treated.

As mentioned above, the preferred field strength for the devices is in the range from about 0.12 microTesla to about 18 microTesla. Field strengths below this range would be too weak to be of any effect and field strengths above this range may be unsafe.

The inventors believe that the observed curative benefits are due to the influence of magnetic field impulses at a specific repetition rate on certain cells within the prostate gland, which, due to the disease, have ceased to function normally. A frequency of approximately 27.5 Hz appears to be most effective in restoring normal function to these cells and is a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Therefore, the present invention provides a method and device for curing chronic prostatitis which: a) provides an effective, non-intrusive, treatment for chronic prostatitis; b) reduces the patients exposure to magnetic fields to a minimum during the treatment; and c) provides a treatment without the need for drugs.

Experiment In a seven-month study at the department of sexopathalogy and andrology clinical trials were carried out on the device of the invention for the prophylaxis and the treatment of patients suffering from chronic prostatitis.

In the clinical trials, 20 devices of the present invention were used. The devices had the following characteristics: magnetic field strength of 15 pT and field oscillation frequency of 27.5 Hz. The device represents a unique means for restoring normal prostate gland function.

Materials and methods For the evaluation of the effectiveness of the device, two groups of men (main and control) were selected. Both groups had chronic prostatitis with similar clinical manifestations: pain, dysurea, and sexual disorders. The characteristics of the clinical manifestations of chronic prostatitis are represented in the Table 1.

Table 1: Clinical Manifestations of Chronic Prostatitis Patient Clinical manifestations groups pain syndrome dysurea sexual disorders Main 21(46%) 15(33%) 38(83%) (n=46) Control 10(50%) 8(40%) 17(55%) group (n=20) The pain syndrome at 21(46%) patients of the main group was characterized as genitally localized (14 patients), extragenitally localized (3 patients), and 4 patients had the pelvis sympatalgy.

Table 2: Laboratory Manifestation of the Chronic Prostatitis Patient group Laboratory manifestation of chronic prostatitis patient laicocytary decreasing of the the pathogen' reaction of quantity' c the microflores in the the secretion licitinium rains secretion of the of the pro- in the secretion of prostate gland state gland the prostate gland Main 46(100%) 44( 6%) 42(90%) (n=46) Control 20(1009%) 20(00%) 1,8(90%) (n=20) The dysurea was characterized with the pollakiurea (10 patients), with the narrowing of the wet stream (4 patients) and nikurea (2 patient).

The sexual disorders were manifested with a decrease in libido (11 patients) a decrease in adequate erections (17 patients), a relative acceleration of the circulation (26 patients), milding of the orgasm sensing (10 patients).

The patients of the main group carried activated devices for 3 weeks near their pelvis.

The patients of the control group carried non-activated device for 3 weeks in the same location.

The patients of both groups were informed about the essence of the treatment and mechanisms of the favourable influence of using the magnetic field to eliminate inflammation in prostate gland.

The effectiveness of curing was estimated by comparing the clinic manifestations, and the results of the laboratory trials.

Truethworthyness of difference (p) between the comparative characteristics was estimated using Student Table "t".

For the definition of probability of the difference of the characteristics expressed in the relative units (%), the statistical analysis provides: a) definiting the difference of the characteristics: alpha=1 -p2 b) calculating the deflection with the expression: delta=root((p 1 *( 100-p 1/ni )+((p2*( 1 00-p2)/n2)): and c) comparing alpha with (delta)*t , where t=1.96. If alpha > (delta)*t, then the difference is trueworthyness, because p is less then 0.05.

Results 1. The Influence of the Device on the chronic prostatitis Clinic Manifestations.

After the 3-week trials, the clinical manifestations were changed for 39(85%) patients of the main group and for 5(25%) patients of the control group (Table 3).

Table 3: Clinical Manifestations of Chronic Prostatitis after Treatment with the Device of the Invention Patient group Clinical manifestations Pain syndrome dysurea sexual disorders Main 5(11%) 3(6%) 27(59%) (n=46) Control 7(35%) 6(30%) 17(75%) (n=20) Therefore, the clinical manifestations of chronic prostatitis re reduced for the main group as follows: from 16 patients with pain syndrome, from 12 patients with dysurea and 11 patients with sexual disorders. The efficiency of treatment was too low in the control group.

2. Influence Of the Device on the Laboratory Manifestation of Chronic Prostatitis Laboratory manifestations of chronic prostatitis were changed for 31(67%) patients of the main group and for 2(10%) patients of the control group (Table 4).

Table 4: Laboratory Manifestation of Chronic Prostatitis after Treatment with the Device of the Present Invention Patients Laboratory manifestation of the chronic prostatitis Group Laicocytary decreasing of the the pathogeny.

reaction of quantity of the microflores in the the secretion licitinium grains secretion of the of the prostate gland in the secretion of prostate gland the prostate gland Main 5(11%) 10(22%) 12(26%) (n=46) Control 20(100%) 20(100%) 16(85%) (n=20) As can be seen from Table 4, the trueworthyness (p less than 0.05) of the changes were marked in the main group, while changing were not marked in the control group.

The results of the clinical trials of the device illustrate its efficiency in treating patients with chronic prostatitis manifested by pain syndrome and dysurea.

Although the invention has been described the reference to certain specific embodiments various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in the claims appended hereto.