1. A method of treating a disorder in a patient, the method comprising: positioning a handheld device comprising a housing comprising: an electrically permeable or electrically conducting contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of the patient, an energy source housed within the housing, an electrode directly coupled to the power source, and an electrically conductive gel, adjacent to a skin surface of the patient; wherein the electrically conductive gel fills a gap between the electrode and the electrically conducting contact surface and couples the electrode to the electrically conducting contact surface, generating one or more electrical impulses with said device; and transmitting the electrical impulses to a vagus nerve in the patient, wherein the electrical impulses having a frequency from about 1 Hz to about 100 Hz and a duty cycle from about 1% to about 10%.