Stellate Ganglion Block for Anxiety Relief | Stella Centre
Anxiety is much more common than we may think. In fact, it is one of the most common symptoms of emotional trauma and mental health challenges, and when experienced, it can lead to a serious decline in quality of life. It affects 40 million adults in the United States alone and is found more often in women than men, says NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness. But still, there are my questions surrounding anxiety and the treatments that could provide relief.
It can come in many different forms, social anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, phobia-related disorders, and the most common, generalized anxiety disorder, also referred to as GAD. And while there is no single consensus in the mental health community on how to treat the different types of anxiety, there are many treatments that can help, some require a lot of time, effort, and certainty that the treatment will work.
Yet, some innovative treatments have gained attention in recent years as powerful approaches to alleviating anxiety symptoms.
DSR - SGB for anxiety
One treatment option known as the Dual Sympathetic Reset (DSR), an advanced Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB), has emerged as a promising treatment option for symptoms like anxiety. By undergoing the DSR SGB treatment, individuals grappling with anxiety often discover a significant reduction in their symptoms, allowing them to regain a sense of normalcy in their lives.
Anxiety symptoms typically manifest as an overwhelming and persistent fear or apprehension toward specific situations. DSR SGB operates by alleviating the excessive activity in the amygdala, which is responsible for generating fear signals in response to incoming stimuli. Through this intervention, the DSR SGB aids in diminishing these distressing emotions.
Is there evidence SGB works for anxiety?
In a recent study, treating patients with the SGB demonstrated significant improvements in anxiety symptoms, as indicated by a considerable decrease in GAD-7 scores, which assess the severity of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms. This reduction surpassed the minimal clinically significant difference, highlighting the substantial positive impact of SGB on anxiety.
The benefits of SGB were sustained for at least one month following the injection, indicating a lasting effect on anxiety symptoms.
Moreover, the study revealed that bilateral SGBs, involving injections on both sides of the stellate ganglion, exhibited superior benefits compared to unilateral SGBs. This finding suggests that bilateral SGBs may be more effective in treating various anxiety disorders, including panic disorder and specific phobias, expanding the therapeutic potential of SGB. The SGB injection has also shown great promise in treating social anxiety.
In 2020, a clinical trial (by Rae Olmsted et al) , evaluating the impact of the Stellate Ganglion Block Treatment revealed a notable decrease in symptoms related to post-traumatic stress, including anxiety. The participants who received the treatment saw a significant improvement in their assessment scores across all core measures, including the PTSD Checklist (PCL), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD), and K-6 Distress Scale.
Following Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB), patients, on average, reported a 4.42 decrease in anxiety symptoms eight weeks later through the GAD, with the mean score decreasing from 12.57 to 8.11 along with a PTSD checklist (PCL) score decrease from 53.30 to 42.21 in civilians.
Can this treatment offer symptom relief?
DSR - SGB is a safe and effective therapeutic option for individuals seeking relief from anxiety-related challenges. And while research continues to be published, Stella is dedicated to furthering innovative treatments like DSR SGB to help those experiencing emotional trauma and mental health challenges like anxiety receive the care they deserve. This remarkable treatment has the potential to help millions of people around the world discover a better quality of life.
Stella is innovating in interventional treatments to help treat emotional trauma, mental health challenges, and long COVID symptoms. If you want to find out more information about treatment with DSR -SGB, speak to a care consultant by scheduling a call or emailing cares@stellacentre.com.au.
