PTSD

Stellate Ganglion Block for PTSD

Medically reviewed · Updated 2026

Most people have never heard of it, yet the stellate ganglion block is one of the more intriguing interventional options being studied for PTSD. As a procedure performed by anesthesiologists, it deserves a clear, non-hyped explanation.

What it actually is

The stellate ganglion is a bundle of sympathetic nerves in your neck that helps run the fight-or-flight response. A stellate ganglion block (SGB) is an injection of local anesthetic near that bundle, done under imaging guidance. The idea: temporarily quieting an over-activated fight-or-flight system may reduce the hyperarousal at the core of PTSD.

What the research shows

Several trials have reported meaningful reductions in PTSD symptoms after SGB, particularly the hyperarousal cluster — hypervigilance, startle, sleep disruption. The evidence is promising but still developing; results vary between studies, and it's best understood as an emerging option rather than a settled first-line treatment. It has drawn particular interest for veterans and first responders.

What the procedure is like

• An outpatient injection, typically guided by ultrasound or fluoroscopy.
• The procedure itself takes only minutes; you're monitored briefly afterward.
• Some people report relief within hours to days. A temporary droopy eyelid or hoarse voice on the injected side is an expected, short-lived effect.

Where it fits among your options

Treatment Finder includes SGB alongside the other PTSD-relevant options — EMDR, medication, and more — with a plain-language explanation of the evidence, so you can raise it with a clinician who performs it. It's exactly the kind of option people miss simply because no one told them it exists.

Put this into practice

Treatment Finder maps all 38 options to your situation and exports a PDF for your appointment. $4.99 once, no subscription. Get it on the App Store →