The stellate ganglion is a group of sympathetic nerves in the neck area. Stellate ganglion block is performed to determine if there is damage to the sympathetic nerve chain. This is a network of nerves extending the length of the spine. These nerves control some of the involuntary functions of the body and sometimes carry painful impulses.

How it's performed
A stellate ganglion block is an injection of a local anesthetic around this group of nerves to relieve pain on the side of the head or neck, the upper arm, or the upper part of the chest. It involves inserting a needle through the skin and deeper tissues of the neck. Most patients receive intravenous sedation and pain medication to make the procedure easy to tolerate. After the injection, you may feel warmth in the arm, some hoarseness of the voice, a droopy eyelid, a larger pupil, or nasal congestion.