We disclose a method of treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable
medical device including
coupling at least a first
electrode and a second
electrode to a cranial nerve of the patient, providing a programmable electrical
signal generator coupled to the first
electrode and the second electrode, generating a first electrical
signal with the electrical
signal generator, applying the first electrical signal to the electrodes, wherein the first electrode is a
cathode and the second electrode is an
anode, reversing the polarity of the first electrode and the second electrode, yielding a configuration wherein the first electrode is an
anode and the second electrode is a
cathode, generating a second electrical signal with the electrical
signal generator, applying the second electrical signal to the electrodes, reversing the polarity of the first electrode and the second electrode, yielding a configuration wherein the first electrode is a
cathode and the second electrode is an
anode, generating a third electrical signal with the electrical
signal generator, and applying the third electrical signal to the electrodes. Each of the electrical signals can independently contain one or more pulses or one or more bursts. The number of pulses need not be equal between any two of the electrical signals.