A Review of Stellate Ganglion Block as an Adjunctive Treatment Modality.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review summarizing mechanism and literature without systematic search methodology
PubMed 36949968 · doi:10.7759/cureus.35174
What was done
This narrative review synthesized the procedural techniques, underlying physiological mechanisms (reduction of nerve growth factor and norepinephrine), and clinical applications of stellate ganglion block (SGB) as an adjunctive treatment for refractory conditions, including anosmia, PTSD, long-COVID, chronic fatigue syndrome, menopausal hot flashes, and ventricular tachyarrhythmias.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data, pooled metrics, or effect sizes. It notes that the current literature supporting SGB for these conditions is limited primarily to case reports demonstrating symptom improvement in patients refractory to medical management.
Why it matters
SGB represents a potential procedural adjunct targeting sympathetic hyperactivity across diverse refractory autonomic, neurological, and cardiovascular conditions.
Limits
The review provides no primary data, systematic search protocol, or quantitative synthesis. The underlying clinical literature consists largely of low-level case reports, and key parameters—such as patient selection, injection intervals, repeat dosing, and unilateral versus bilateral approaches—remain unstandardized.
Cited by
- supports Stellate ganglion blocks work by dampening sympathetic nervous system activity sufficiently to allow parasympathetic vagal activity to express itself, providing therapeutic utility for PTSD and trauma.