Stellate Ganglion Block: A Comprehensive Guide

A Stellate Ganglion Block is used to help relieve pain in the head, neck, upper arm and chest due to a variety of issues. It may also help increase blood circulation to these areas, helping have a positive effect on the pain.

What does it Treat:

The Stellate Ganglion Block is a type of nerve block meant to treat specific issues –

Shingles pain (herpes zoster)
Sympathetic pain
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or Causalgia
Phantom limb pain
Angina

This type of nerve block is used not only as treatment but also as diagnoses. If the treatment provides (or does not provide) pain relief, then you may have a better idea of what issues your body is dealing with.

How It Works:

The Stellate Ganglion Block is a nerve block for the ganglion – Located in the neck. The Ganglion nerves are on either side of the voice box. During the procedure, you’ll be able to stay right in our office. Dr. Henriquez will press on your neck which may feel a bit awkward, then using our guidance machines, insert a needle that will inject the medicine into the nerve.

You will be monitored before, during and after the procedure, and able to go home very shortly. The entire procedure takes 20-30 minutes!

What is Recovery Like?

After the procedure, your eye may be droopy on the side of your voice box where you received the injection. You may also have a hoarse voice, and possibly the same side arm will be somewhat numb. These effects will all subside within four to six hours.

In addition, you won’t be able to drive or be highly active the same day as the procedure. You will need to rest and recover until the next day.

What Type of Pain Relief can I Expect?

In some circumstances, this type of nerve block will be used to see if blood circulation can increase to these problem areas.

For some patients, no pain relief will be felt. While this is disappointing, it still provides Dr. Hernandez with valuable information about the type of treatment that you need.

In other cases, the patient will experience pain relief that lasts beyond the day of the procedure. While it may not last a long period of time due to the type of anesthetic used in the injection, there is the option to return and do the procedure with a medicine that will provide longer-lasting relief.