STELLATE GANGLION BLOCK IN NEW YORK CITY

A Stellate Ganglion Block is a breakthrough, minimally invasive procedure that involves injecting a long-acting local anesthetic into a bundle of nerves in the neck known as the stellate ganglion. These nerves act as the control center for your sympathetic nervous system—the part of the brain responsible for your "fight or flight" response. By temporarily numbing this nerve bundle, SGB acts like a "reboot" button for your nervous system, resetting it to its calm baseline and alleviating the severe physical symptoms of chronic stress, trauma, and nerve pain.

SGB is an incredibly powerful tool for individuals who feel "stuck" in a state of hyperarousal or chronic physical pain. You may be an ideal candidate if you are struggling with: Treatment-resistant PTSD and severe anxiety Long COVID symptoms (specifically parosmia or the loss of taste and smell) Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) Extreme, debilitating hot flashes A private consultation with Dr. Claudia Kim will help determine if SGB is the right next step for your personal wellness journey.

For many patients, SGB offers a unique physiological "reset" that talk therapy and daily medications alone often cannot achieve. Benefits frequently include a rapid, profound reduction in panic attacks and physical anxiety, vastly improved sleep quality, relief from chronic nerve pain, and a restored sense of inner calm.

The treatment is a straightforward, outpatient procedure performed right here at New Look New Life. Using high-resolution ultrasound guidance to ensure maximum precision and safety, Dr. Claudia Kim carefully injects a local anesthetic around the stellate ganglion nerves in the neck. The entire process involves absolutely no incisions and is comfortably performed while you are awake.

Yes. Stellate Ganglion Blocks have been used safely and effectively for decades in the medical field of pain management. When performed by a highly skilled specialist like Dr. Claudia Kim, the procedure is widely recognized for its excellent safety profile. You may experience common, temporary side effects—such as a drooping eyelid, a slightly red eye, or mild nasal congestion (known as Horner's Syndrome). These are actually positive signs! They indicate that the nerve block was successful, and these minor effects typically resolve entirely within a few hours.

The actual injection process is incredibly quick, typically taking less than 15 to 30 minutes. However, we ask that you plan to stay in our office for a short observation period afterward to ensure your complete comfort and safety before heading home. There is no strict "downtime," but we highly recommend taking it easy and relaxing for the rest of the day.

The relief is often immediate. Many patients report feeling a profound sense of calm, clarity, or physical "lightness" within just 30 minutes of the procedure. Significant improvements in sleep quality, resting heart rate, anxiety, and pain levels are typically noticed the very same day or within the first week following your treatment.

While traditional medications (like SSRIs) work chemically to alter neurotransmitters in the brain over weeks or months, SGB works physically to instantly interrupt the overactive nerve signals causing your distress. SGB is not a replacement for psychiatric care, but rather a powerful, fast-acting catalyst that can make your ongoing therapy and medications significantly more effective by pulling your body out of constant "survival mode."

Our specialized SGB treatment is highly competitively priced for a boutique NYC practice, starting at $2,000.00 per side. While SGB is fully FDA-approved for pain management, its use for PTSD, anxiety, and Long COVID is currently considered "off-label" or elective by most insurance companies and is typically not covered.

Absolutely. We deeply believe that everyone deserves access to life-changing relief without financial stress. New Look New Life provides highly flexible, interest-free payment plans through partners like CareCredit®, Alphaeon Credit, and Cherry to help you comfortably manage the cost of your wellness investment. You can visit our Pricing page to learn more.

Taking the first step toward reclaiming your peace of mind is completely confidential and simple. You can conveniently Book Now directly through our website, or call our compassionate New York concierge team at (212)-830-6830 to schedule your private evaluation with Dr. Claudia Kim. We are here to help you heal!