Description

A "sympathetic ganglion block" is a type of nerve block used to treat severe chronic pain by injecting a local anesthetic near a cluster of nerves called a ganglion, which are part of the sympathetic nervous system, effectively interrupting pain signals sent to the brain; it's often used for conditions like complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) where pain is thought to be significantly influenced by the sympathetic nervous system, targeting areas like the neck (stellate ganglion) for upper body pain or the lower back (lumbar ganglion) for leg pain. Key points about sympathetic ganglion blocks: Mechanism: By injecting anesthetic near a sympathetic ganglion, the pain signals traveling through those nerves are temporarily blocked, providing pain relief. Common areas treated: Stellate ganglion block: Pain in the head, neck, arm, and chest Lumbar sympathetic block: Pain in the leg and lower back Conditions treated: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) Phantom limb pain Peripheral vascular disease Certain types of cancer pain