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Stellate Ganglion Block

Stellate Ganglion Block services offered in Atlanta, Fayetteville, Stockbridge, Newnan, GA

Stellate ganglion block is an outpatient procedure that can have big diagnostic and treatment benefits for people with head, neck, arm, and face pain. At Pain Consultants of Atlanta, the elite pain management specialists perform stellate ganglion block using minimally invasive techniques and then use the valuable information gained from the procedure to create the most effective treatment plan. There are offices located in Atlanta, Fayetteville, Stockbridge and Newnan, Georgia, so call any of the four convenient locations in the Atlanta metropolitan area or book your appointment online today.

What is a stellate ganglion block?

A stellate ganglion block is an injection of a nerve block in the stellate ganglion, the group of nerves found at the bottom of your neck. This injection contains an anesthetic, which provides numbing within the stellate ganglion.

Stellate ganglion blocks often contain a steroid as well, which diminishes inflammation in and around the nerve bundle.

When might I need a stellate ganglion block?

Stellate ganglion blocks are performed to diagnose and treat conditions that cause pain in the neck, arms, face, and head.

Diagnosis

Stellate ganglion blocks can help diagnose the source of your upper body pain. For example, it can diagnose sympathetically mediated pain, which occurs when the sympathetic nervous system inexplicably transmits pain signals to the brain. 

Treatment

Stellate ganglion blocks can sometimes treat the source of your pain as well. Some conditions that may improve with a stellate ganglion block include:

  • Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) Type I
  • CRPS Type II
  • Phantom limb pain
  • Peripheral vascular disease (PVD)
  • Nerve damage following the shingles (postherpetic neuralgia)
  • Radiation-related nerve damage
  • Cluster headaches
  • Ménière’s disease
  • Scleroderma

Because stellate ganglion blocks can relieve pain, they often also relieve stiffness and improve upper body mobility. 

Stellate ganglion blocks can also help people with hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating) in the head, neck, and face. 

What results should I expect from a stellate ganglion block? 

Stellate ganglion block outcomes are hard to predict because every person and medical condition is different.

If a stellate ganglion block relieves your pain, you might experience effects immediately or within a few days. After getting good results from a stellate ganglion block, the team may recommend a series of the same injections. Many people experience longer-lasting pain relief each time.

It’s important to remember that even if you don’t get any pain relief from a stellate ganglion block, the Pain Consultants of Atlanta team still gathers valuable diagnostic information from the procedure. So, that means you’ll be a step closer to permanent pain relief following a stellate ganglion block.

Pain Consultants of Atlanta is a private medical practice that believes in putting patients first. They’re sympathetic to your chronic pain and are here to support you in a full recovery. A stellate ganglion block could be the first step, so call the office nearest you or book your appointment online today.