Stellate Ganglion Block
What is a Stellate Ganglion Block?
The Stellate Ganglion is a collection of nerves in the neck, at the sides of the voice box. These nerves are responsible for delivering pain signals and movement to the brain. When injured or damaged, the stellate ganglion block will help with pain management, swelling, sweating, bad circulation, and low mobility in your upper extremities.
What does the procedure look like?
This procedure is done in the clinic at Portland Pain and Spine. You will lie on the exam table, face-up, with a pillow under your neck. Once you are relaxed and comfortable your doctor will clean the area to receive the block, and then they will administer a local anesthetic.
Your doctor will press into your neck to establish the injection site, and it is important to stay completely still at this point. Any type of movement (talking, coughing, or swallowing) during the injection can cause the needle to be improperly placed.
While most blocks use an x-ray for guidance, a stellate ganglion block can be completed without the guidance. However, as an added precaution, your doctor might choose to use it. The medication will be injected once the needle has been set in place. The medication can contain an anesthetic, a steroid, or both.
Recovery will be anywhere from 30 – 60 minutes, with your pain and vital signs being closely monitored.