How does the SGB work?

The Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) is a medical procedure used to treat symptoms of long COVID by targeting the sympathetic nervous system. The procedure involves injecting an anesthetic near the stellate ganglion, a nerve bundle in the neck, to block nerve signals that may be contributing to persistent symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and loss of smell or taste. By modulating the nervous system, SGB helps to rebalance the body’s response and alleviate these chronic symptoms, offering relief to many patients suffering from long COVID.

After SGB treatment, when your sense of smell (anosmia) and taste (dysgeusia) get better, it’s because the treatment restores the balance between two parts of your nervous system. This happens by blocking the overactive sympathetic part in your neck, which is responsible for head and neck functions. It’s possible that when this sympathetic part is too active, it disrupts important cranial nerves like the ones for smelling, facial movement, and taste perception, causing these issues.

Timing is crucial when using a treatment called SGB for long COVID-19 syndrome. If we wait too long, the body’s adjustment to the condition may make SGB less effective. It’s like dealing with a stubborn door. The longer you wait, the harder it is to keep it open. We’ve noticed that when SGB is delayed in people with other long-lasting post-viral conditions like Lyme disease or chronic fatigue syndrome, it doesn’t work as well compared to those with long COVID-19. They only see a small improvement, about 10-20%, with each injection.