Stellate Ganglion Blocks

The stellate ganglion is a small bundle of nerves located in the front sides of your neck on either side of the larynx, part of the sympathetic nervous system. These nerves send signals to the brain from the upper extremities, including your upper arms, chest, neck and head. Stellate ganglion blocks are injections that are used to stop the signals from these nerves to the brain to help diagnose and treat some types of chronic pain. At Medici Orthopaedics & Spine, we offer injection therapy as one of our many treatment options for chronic pain, including stellate ganglion blocks.

There are many conditions that can send pain signals through the stellate ganglion. Nerve disorders or circulation problems are common issues that cause upper extremity pain delivered through the stellate ganglion. Some conditions that can be diagnosed or relieved with a stellate ganglion block injection include:

• Shingles affecting the upper chest, arms, neck or head
• Complex regional pain syndrome
• Phantom limb pain
• Sympathetic dystrophy
• Causalgia

If a stellate ganglion block injection is effective, it can offer relief and may be instrumental in diagnosing a condition.

Pain Relief for the Neck, Head, Chest and Upper Arms

Stellate ganglion block injections can reduce pain by blocking nerve pain signals to the brain. To perform the injection, a local anesthetic is used through an image-guided needle in the front of the neck to the affected stellate ganglion. The anesthetic can provide almost immediate relief, helping to diagnose nerve disorders. A steroid medication may also be used for longer relief after the anesthetic wears off. If the injection is successful for pain relief, a series of injections can be used to offer long-term chronic pain management.

If you suffer from upper extremity chronic pain, there are effective treatment options to give you relief and improve your quality of life. Let our pain management physicians and medical staff at Medici Orthopaedics & Spine help you minimize your pain through a personalized treatment plan. Contact one of our clinics to begin treatment.We have different locations in the greater Atlanta area for your convenience.