STELLATE GANGLION BLOCK

Hear from my patients

Testimonials

“The only doctor I have ever felt comfortable giving five stars, five stars isn't enough.”

Dr. Lynch makes you feel comfortable, heard, and informed. I have a lot of medical trauma and am scared of doctors, especially new ones. From the first visit I immediately felt at ease and I knew I would be taken care of. I underwent the Stellate Ganglion Block procedure and the idea of it was terrifying. He told me exactly what he would be doing, and even assured me it would be underwhelming, and it was! The effects have truly changed my life and that's not something I say lightly.

--Natalia C., April 2022

“Tried everything? Try this.”
As a therapist with two masters degrees and over a decade of PTS symptoms - I’d love to say I knew the secret to fixing myself on my own. I have been very fortunate to have incredible therapists with military family members with PTS who have had extra empathy for what it’s like. I have tried Effexor up to 225 mg, many other antidepressants in different combos, IV Ketamine, EMDR. Everything has helped me at different points of my journey but nothing has made me feel comfortable in my own skin. I’m actually shocked at how SGB has worked. I’m a few weeks out now and instead of having to do 30 minutes of progressive muscle relaxation to loosen my neck and shoulders and try to avoid migraine - I can notice the tension starting and consciously relax in a few moments. I am gradually planning to do some exposure with my therapist and it’s interesting noticing the dramatic reduction in avoidance. I am so grateful to have found Dr. Lynch and SGB. (ps have a good therapist to process with after).
--E. W., December 2021

"What a relief"
I had great results with SGB for complex PTSD.
That terrible sensation of terror in my chest and stomach has decreased from 10/10 to about a 4. My experience with Dr Lynch is the best experience I have ever had with a physician. He is highly skilled, gentle, patient, and dedicated. It is a safe place to go for those obliterated by life who may be losing hope. Dr Lynch is the best of the best.
--Morgan H., December 2021

"Dr Lynch is a fabulous and skilled doctor"
My daughter has been searching for something to help her anxiety and CPTSD for years. From the minute we walked into the office Dr. Lynch made us feel relaxed and hopeful for the procedure. We have been to many doctors over the years. Dr Lynch is the most caring, kind, and patient doctor we have every met. The procedure did help in turning down the volume of anxiety in my daughter. I know it can seem intimidating to try an "out of the box" treatment but I would encourage you to try the Stellate Ganglion Block if you struggle with PTSD.
--T. L., December 2021

When the Sympathetic Nervous System Doesn't Function Properly,
The Fight-or-Flight System is Stuck in the "On" Position

For many people who have experienced trauma, "hyperarousal" is a predominant feature. This cluster of symptoms has been attributed to a “dysfunctional sympathetic tone” where the body’s response to stressors is inappropriately amplified.
Hyperarousal symptoms, caused by a stimulated sympathetic nervous system, include irritability, angry outbursts, and poor sleep. The physical symptoms which accompany re-experiencing traumatic events ("flashbacks") including racing heart, sweating, and increased body tone are also sympathetically driven.
These symptoms can be debilitating , ruin relationships, and serve as barriers to effective therapy.

Through partnership with ROSM in April 2021, Dr. Lynch and Dr. Sean Mulvaney--two world leaders in SGB treatment for PTSD--founded The Stellate Institute just outside Washington D.C. in Annapolis, Maryland.

Our Missions

Serve as the world expert in applying new variants of the stellate ganglion block procedure to treat the injury of trauma
Advocate on a national level for those struggling with PTSD

Provide compassionate world-class care to our patients

Continue to publish research as well as educate both our patients and other clinicians on the benefits of SGB as a fusion between biologic and psychologic treatments for trauma

Neuroscience-informed Treatment

Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) is an injection of local anesthetic in the neck to temporarily block the nerves which controls the body’s fight-or-flight response.

This outpatient procedure which is performed under ultrasound guidance takes less than thirty minutes, and its effects can be seen immediately.

What is Stellate Ganglion Block?

Watch this 90-second Video
for a Brief Introduction

Watch this 20-minute Video for an Overview of SGB

Watch this 45-minute Webinar to Learn More

Precision Mental Health for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Since 2010, several US military treatment facilities have used Stellate Ganglion Block effectively to help thousands of service members suffering from symptoms associated with PTSD.

This has been an effort to help keep warriors on combat teams at top performance—to hone the edge of a knife that has dulled with hard use.

There are 17 original studies published since 2008 in the peer-reviewed medical literature documenting SGB’s successful treatment of PTSD symptoms. In November 2019, a large multi-center, randomized clinical trial was published in JAMA Psychiatry demonstrating twice the effect of SGB over a sham (placebo) procedure. Now with “gold standard” Level 1 evidence supporting SGB, many clinicians believe this procedure should be incorporated into standard PTSD care.

A NEW Model for Trauma Care:
The Fusion of Biological and Psychological Approaches

By Dr. Shauna Springer at Stella Center, Dr. James Lynch and Dr. John Okiishi at Fort Bragg, NC

Full Article

Research Articles

Select Journal Articles from the Peer-reviewed Medical Literature

Full Article

Additional research