Stellate Ganglion Block Provides Relief to …

Correct the stress injury and allow the system relief from its constant “fight or flight” response, the affected part of the nervous system must be reset. To achieve this, an SGB, or stellate ganglion block, may be performed. The stellate ganglion block has been demonstrated to eliminate the following issues, among others:

  • Over-reactive response to stress
  • Anxiety or discomfort around crowds
  • Over-reactive response within personal relationships
  • Inability to think clearly or focus
  • Inability to relax
  • Insomnia
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Loss of sexual function
  • Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
  • Panic Attacks
  • Loss of interest in historically desirable activities
  • Feelings of being emotionally numb

Prior to the procedure, prospective recipients must complete a Pre-Stellate Civilian Checklist to determine whether the procedure may offer the patient benefit. The test involves a series of questions designed to evaluate the recipient’s response to stressful life experiences. A positive test score for civilians is 35, while a positive test score for military personnel is 45. 100 percent of patients who score 50 or higher on the PCL test have seen life-changing results following the SGB procedure.

What Can You Expect From an SBG Procedure?

During the procedure, the patient remains awake while the physician injects a long-acting anesthetic around the stellate ganglion. This is done via the right side of the neck, at the sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae where the stellate ganglion is located. Following the procedure, the patient will be monitored for approximately one hour to ensure no adverse reaction to the injection.

Post-procedure, many patients experience one to eight hours of red-eye or a feeling of having a heavy eyelid. A change in overall sensation after the procedure is a good indication that the SGB has been successful. Recipients can expect to feel a change in overall perception, as though they feel like their “old self” again — the “old self” that they identified with prior to experiencing the trauma that initiated their heightened emotional state. Patients also find that they are once again able to enjoy everyday activities, that they experience better sleep, and are able to see, think, and respond more appropriately and clearly. Results may be experienced as quickly as 30 minutes following the procedure and can last for years, depending on the patient.