The nervous system is a very complex system in the body that plays a part in everything the body does, which includes anything from controlling muscle sensitivity to regulating your general breathing patterns.
The nerves within this system can become damaged for any number of reasons, which can result in the development of nerve pain. The damage of any kind of nerve in the body can result in a range of severe symptoms that can be difficult to manage. There are an array of treatments that are used to mitigate and eliminate nerve pain, which includes everything from medications to physical therapy.
If the treatments that you’ve been given have yet to provide relief from your pain, you might want to consider obtaining a stellate block procedure.
What Are Stellate Blocks?
The stellate ganglion involves a number of nerves that are located around the sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae, which are positioned around the neck. These nerves are involved in the regulation of numerous functions within the head, neck, upper arms, and upper chest. Stellate blocks are designed to relieve and manage pain that has developed around the stellate ganglion. A stellate block involves the injection of a medication directly into the nerves as a means of relieving the pain that has been caused by damaged to the stellate ganglion. Other benefits of stellate blocks include increased blood supply and circulation. Some of the nerve injuries and circulation problems that can be treated with stellate blocks include causalgia, a herpes zoster infection, and phantom limb pain.
How Is This Treatment Performed?
This procedure takes place on an x-ray table, where you will be asked to lie down on your back. Your neck will be cleaned before a small needle is sent into an area of the neck that’s located nearby the voice box. This needle will contain a local anesthetic that will numb the area so that you won’t feel any pain. Following the administration of anesthesia, an ultrasound or x-ray will be used to help guide the doctor or surgeon as they are inserting a second needle into the stellate ganglion. This needle will contain the necessary medication. The procedure should only takes 20-30 minutes to complete.
Primary Risks of Stellate Blocks
There are very little risks that come with this injection aside from a small amount of soreness and bruising. More severe complications like nerve damage and infections are rare. Some of the standard side effect from the stellate block procedure include tearing, difficulty swallowing, a stuffy nose, red eyes, and drooping eyelids.
Results and Recovery
It’s possible that the pain relief you experience from the injection will be immediate. However, some discomfort will likely return once the anesthesia has fully worn off. The initial pain relief may only last for a few days or weeks, which is why most people will obtain a series of injections over time. It’s been found that the pain relief provided by these injections lasts longer with each injection.