January 2018 Images in Anesthesiology: Modified Cotton Swab Applicator for Nasal Sphenopalatine Ganglion Nerve Block This article (Anesthesiology 1 2018, Vol.128, 140.) discusses new approaches to the delivery of SPG Blocks utilizing Sphenocath, Allevio, and a new modified cotton swab technique. I have been utilizing and teaching SPG Blocks since 1986. In general I find the continual capillary feed cotton …
Essential Hypertension Breakthrough: Bilateral Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks Reduce Blood Pressure, 2018 update.
Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks (SPG Blocks, Pterygopalatine Ganglion Blocks) can give dramatic relief to headache, migraine, orofacial pain, TMJ disorders. cluster headache and anxiety patients. A new article in Jan 2018 International Journal of Cardiology (abstract below) shows success with SPG Blocks in treating essential Hypertension. The minimally invasive block was effective utilized 2% lidocaine and was administered just once. This …
Atypical Odontalgia: A Troublesome Problem Might Have A Simple Solution.
Atypical Odontalgia, often called atypical facial pain, phantom tooth pain or neuropathic tooth pain can be a nightmare for both patients and dentists. It is often considered to be a psychiatric problem due to somatization disorder or an idiopathic disorder but neither of these constitute an actual diagnosis. Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia is the diagnosis sometimes given but that is also a …
Sinus Arrest Treated by Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block.
A article from Headache (abstract below) details how a Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block used to treat pain of postherpetic neuralgia and coincidentally stopped bradycardia associated with sinus arrest. It was assumed that treating the pain was the reason the sinus arrest was corrected but it is possible it was a direct effect on the autonomic nervous system. While generally SPG Blocks …
Self Administration Of Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks: A Treatment That Increases Quality of Life and Decreases Costs.
The use of Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks is over 100 years old originally described by Sluder in 1908. This sam treatment was the topic of the popular book “Miracles on Park Avenue” which described the incredible practice of NYC ENT Dr Milton Reder. The following paragraph is from a post on my Think Better Life blog: https://thinkbetterlife.com/self-administration-spg-blocks-patients/ The SPG Block or Sphenopalatine …
Sinus Headache: SPG Blocks As First Line Treatment
There is a great deal of crossover between sinus pain and headaches, THJ disorders, Migraines, cluster headaches, NDPH and chronic daily headache. All of these problems are related to the both the Somatosensory fibers of the Trigeminal Nervous System as well as to the Autonomic Sympathetic and Parasympathetic fibers that travel along the trigeminal branches. The Sphenopalatine Ganglion is the …
Neuromodulation, Trigeminal Neuralgia and Neuromuscular Dentistry
A new article in Headache looks at Neuromodulation and devices in Trigeminal Neuralgia. There is a very successful device with a 50 year record for safety and efficacy in treating trigeminal nervosu condition. It is the Myomonitor, an Ultra Low Frequency TENS designed to relax muscles innervarted by the 5th (trigeminal) and 7th (facial) nerves. The myomonitor is also a …
Sphenopalatine Ganglion Stimulation Alters Blood Flow in the Brain
Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks and stimulation are utilized to treat and prevent headaches, migraines, cluster headaches, other trigeminal autonomic cephalgias and a wide variety of other symptoms. This old experimental study (1990 abstract below) evaluated where changes in blood flow occurred in the brain. Unilateral stimulation increased blood flow on the same side of the brain 45% to the Cerebral Cortex …
Sphenopalatine Ganglion Stimulation: 50 Years of Safety and Efficacy
The concept of doing Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks is over 100 years old and was first described by Sluder in 1908 for Sluder’s Neuralgia. Current thinking is what Sluder described was Cluster Headache, Autonomic Cephalgias or Temporomandibular disorders including trigeminal neuralgia. There is a long history of safety with these blocks and many means of delivering them. Dentists and ENT’s are …
Bilateral sphenopalatine ganglion block reduces blood pressure in patients with essential hypertension
I have been utilizing bilateral SPG Blocks to treat TMJ pain, MPD, Anxiety, Chronic Pain, Tension Headaches, Migraine Headaches, Dluster Headaches and Fibromyalgia. SPG Blocks can be used to reverse central sensitization and can serve as a replacement for a host of medications utilized for headaches, anxiety, depression, neuralgias not only saving reources but also reducing harmful side effects. This …