A Stellate Ganglion Block involves the injection of a local anesthetic in the front of the neck to block the sympathetic nerves in the neck on either side of the voice box. The purpose of the procedure may be therapeutic, providing pain relief or diagnosis, locating the source of pain. The injections are typically repeated to provided long lasting pain relief. How often the injections are given varies from patient to patient depending on how long each injection relieves their pain. Each injection takes approximately 5-10 minutes and the anesthetic typically takes 10-20 minutes to take full effect.
