COVID-19 shook the world in 2020, infecting millions of people around the world. If you’re one of the people who recovered from the infection, it is possible that you may still be feeling the impact of the virus. Thankfully, there is relief. Learn more about SGB for Long COVID.
What Is Long COVID?
COVID-19 is a highly contagious virus that can negatively and severely impact the body’s respiratory system, central nervous system (CNS), and internal organs. Most COVID-19 patients recover and return to normal after a couple of weeks or months. However, a portion of patients continue to suffer from its symptoms.
Long COVID refers to the prolonged effects of the COVID-19 virus months or even years after contamination. Long COVID patients don’t typically show signs of the most severe symptoms of COVID-19, but there are lingering physical ailments that many patients unfortunately learn to live with.
Some of the symptoms you may experience from Long COVID include:
- Chronic fatigue
- Brain fog
- Breathing problems
- Coughing
- Headaches
- Loss of smell / parosmia
- Loss of taste / dysgeusia
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Joint pain
- Tachycardia
- Palpitations
- Insomnia
- Pins and needles/vibration sensations
Long COVID affects patients differently, and it is incorrect to assume that your long COVID may be the same as, for example, a loved one’s symptoms. It is possible for people with this condition to have different symptoms and respond differently to a variety of treatments.
SGB for Long COVID
The stellate ganglion is a cluster of nerves located at the side of your cervical and thoracic spine near your neck that helps relay signals to your head, neck, arms, and chest. The activity in this region contributes to a number of the body’s involuntary responses, such as heart rate, pupil dilation, and the “fight or flight” response.
A stellate ganglion block (SGB) inhibits the signals in this particular cluster of nerves using an injection into each side of the neck. SGB was originally introduced in the 1920s as a treatment for back pain, and now it’s being used to treat Long COVID.
How SGB Treats Long COVID
SGB treats loss of smell and loss of taste in patients with long-term COVID-19.
Since COVID-19 and long COVID are so new, doctors are still confirming how the virus affects a person’s sense of smell and sense of taste. At this time, doctors think it’s caused by abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and nerve damage to the nasal receptors in the brain, possibly caused by reduced blood flow.
When SGB blocks the stellate ganglion bundle, it resets the ANS, correcting the problem. Most patients see results in as little as 5 minutes after treatment, but full results can take weeks after only one injection.
Get SGB for Long COVID Through Southwest Pain Management
Southwest Pain Management offers a wide range of pain management services, including SGB for Long COVID. Our medical team is made up of several doctors with specialties in different areas, including anesthesiology, physical therapy, and nutrition.
When you are ready to explore treatment, simply contact us to set up an appointment and discuss your insurance information. We take most major insurance plans, but coverage will depend on your specific plan. During your first appointment, you and one of our providers will create a treatment plan to identify the best path forward to helping you find relief from Long COVID.