Reset the System: How Stellate Ganglion Blocks Are Helping Veterans and PTSD Survivors Find Relief

For many veterans and trauma survivors, the battle doesn’t end when they return home. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) affects millions, creating invisible wounds that disrupt sleep, relationships, focus, and overall peace of mind. But what if there was a simple procedure that could help “reset” the nervous system—and offer rapid relief?

Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) is changing the game for PTSD treatment, especially for veterans, first responders, and others living with chronic trauma. 

Here’s what you need to know.

⚡ What Is a Stellate Ganglion Block?

A Stellate Ganglion Block is a quick outpatient procedure that involves injecting a local anesthetic into a nerve bundle in the neck called the stellate ganglion. This nerve cluster is part of your sympathetic nervous system—the same system responsible for the “fight or flight” stress response.

In people with PTSD, that system gets stuck in overdrive. The body and brain stay hyper-alert long after the danger has passed, leading to symptoms like:

• Chronic anxiety
• Sleep disturbances or nightmares
• Flashbacks or panic attacks
• Mood swings or emotional numbness
• Difficulty focusing or connecting emotionally

By quieting this overactive stress response, SGB helps the nervous system reset—allowing the brain to enter a state of calm.

🪖 Why Veterans Are Turning to SGBs: Stellate Ganglion Blocks 

Many military veterans report that SGB treatment helped them feel more like themselves again—often within minutes to hours of the injection.

The result’s been described as “turning the volume down” on trauma.

In fact, several branches of the military—including at facilities like Walter Reed and Yale University—have studied and offered SGB for PTSD with impressive results. 

For some patients, it’s the first time in years they’ve felt real peace. 

Some of the most common improvements include:

• Improved sleep (often after years of insomnia)
• Decreased anxiety and emotional outbursts
• Fewer panic attacks or flashbacks
• Increased emotional connection and clarity

🧬 A Promising Tool—Not a Cure

SGB isn’t a standalone cure for PTSD—but it can be a powerful complement to medication or therapies such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), which helps process and reduce the impact of traumatic memories and experiences. It often helps patients engage more effectively in other treatments because they’re no longer overwhelmed by their nervous system’s constant alarm bells.

Some patients find relief for months after a single treatment, which involves two injections; others may benefit from repeated blocks spaced out over time.You can learn more about Stellate Ganglion Blocks and how they are performed by Dr. Ryan Wood, the West Coast’s leading expert in SGBs at the NW Regen website, here.

🙌 Who Can Benefit?

While originally studied in veterans, SGB is now being explored for a wider range of patients, including:

• First responders (firefighters, EMTs, police)
• Survivors of abuse or accidents
• Individuals with long COVID-related nervous system issues
• Those with chronic anxiety or treatment-resistant PTSD

If you’ve tried therapy or medications and still feel “stuck,” SGB might offer a fresh start.

🌿 Ready to Reset?

At NW Regen, we’re proud to offer the Stellate Ganglion Block, also known as SGB, as part of our regenerative and integrative approach to healing. Dr. Wood has performed 2,500+ of these procedures, and is an established expert in the field. We honor the strength it takes to seek help—and we’re here to walk with you on that journey. 

If you’re ready to calm the storm within, let’s talk about whether Stellate Ganglion Block is right for you. Please contact us today to set up a consultation.