What is the use of sphenopalatine ganglion block in pain clinic?
Dr. Mohammad Hossein Delshad
تهران
What is the use of sphenopalatine ganglion block in pain clinic? ========================================================
Sphenopalatine ganglion block or SPG block is a method that pain doctor uses to reduce or eliminate pain in the head and face by injecting anesthetic into the face.
What is meant by sphenopalatine ganglion block
The sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) is a group of nerves located deep in the face in areas such as the back of the nose.
This group of nerves send sensory information including pain signals from the brain and also play a very important role in the production of tears and nasal congestion.
Most pains in the face, jaw or eyes during a migraine headache can be related to these nerves.
What is the effect of sphenopalatine ganglion block on migraine? The sphenopalatine ganglion nerves are connected to the brain via the trigeminal nerve (the main nerve associated with the headache)... In this block, a dose of anesthetic is injected near the nerve.
The drug that is injected prevents or blocks the transmission of pain signals to the sphenopalatine.
Who are candidates for sphenopalatine ganglion block? If you have headaches or facial pain that doesn't respond to any other treatment strategy, you may eventually be considered for a sphenopalatine ganglion block.
Also, for patients who need more effective treatments with the onset of migraine headaches, this treatment method may be very good...
. DoOther diseases that can be treated with this treatment method are as follows:
- Abnormal facial pain
- cluster and acute headaches
- Pain caused by neck and head cancer
- pain caused by shingles (pain caused by herpes zoster)
Temporal joint pain
- complex regional pain syndrome
- Reflex sympathetic dystrophy
How is the sphenopalatine ganglion block performed for the patient? There are different ways to do it.... How to use it depends on the patient and its diagnosis, which is as follows:
1.... The least invasive method is to use a thin plastic tube called a catheter.... This method should be done with the patient lying on his back and tilting his head.
The nasal cavity is completely numbed using an anesthetic spray and a catheter is inserted into the nostril to deliver the medication to the sphenopalatine for block.
2... In the second method, the patient is sedated until he is completely relaxed, and then the cheek is numbed with local anesthesia...
The doctor then inserts the needle through the cheek and injects the nerve block in the desired location using X-rays for accurate observation.
Result after sphenopalatine ganglion block
After finishing the treatment at the pain clinic, the doctor may ask you to stay in the clinic for a short time, patients usually have to stay in the clinic for 30 minutes or more.
Most of the time, people find relief after their first injection, while others need several injections to see better results.
Generally, after the injection, the doctor will inquire about your recovery rate so that the best pain control solution can be considered for you.
Does sphenopalatine ganglion block have side effects? The methods that the pain specialist performs for the patients have the least possible side effects...
For example, complications such as numbness in the throat, low blood pressure, and nausea are temporary issues that will resolve in a short period of time.
If you have numbness in your throat, this is related to the anesthetic and will go away after a few hours.
Avoid eating and drinking during this time to avoid suffocation... In some cases, nosebleeds or infections have also been reported...
Only in rare cases, patients may experience increased pain... In general, any discomfort you feel after the block will resolve after a short period of time and is nothing to worry about.
Related content: ilioguinal nerve block
How long is the sphenopalatine ganglion block needed? As we said, some people may find relief after a single injection and not need another injection.
For general pain, this procedure is performed as often as needed for pain relief..
Some studies show that if a sphenopalatine ganglion block is performed twice a week for six weeks, the frequency and intensity of chronic migraine pain decreases over a six-month period.
However, you should ask your doctor about how often you need to explain according to your condition.
Read more: What is the cause of back pain?
