Before beginning your care with The Stellate Ganglion Center, there are a few important things for patients to be aware of.
First, a Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) is NOT a replacement for therapy. Dr. Nairn strongly encourages patients to follow up with their mental health provider before and after receiving an SGB. The resetting process of an SGB doesn't work if you don't immediately start teaching yourself "healthy" habits. For this reason, an SGB is most successful in conjunction with therapy. A licensed mental health professional will be able to counsel you through the aftermath of the injection.
Each person's experience with an SGB is different. For some patients, they experience instant relief and won't need another injection for several months. Other patients may need several injections within a few months of each other to build upon. It is important for patients to manage their expectations. Just because you are not seeing immense results within the first few months does NOT mean the SGB isn't working.
Many patients do not notice results with the first injection, but their family and/or friends may notice a difference. It is important to advise those close to you to monitor your behavior following an SGB and ask for their impressions.
If you have any further questions, Dr. Nairn is here to answer! Please feel free to ask him as many questions as you need at your evaluation.
