CoVid 19 Stress Disorder (CV19SD) Treatment with Self-Administered Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks (SASPGB)

The United States and the World are currently in the middle of the worst pandemic of over 100 years. There is no one living who remembers the effects of the stress from the 1918 pandemic.

In the acute phase of the current pandemic we are primarily focused on the prevention of spread and treatment of the primary disorder. We are struggling with an urgent need for care and supplies. The ongoing streaming news keeps us both informed and deluged with information. This information is positive for many who use it to plan and though addicted to the news it empowers them. There are many who rather than being empowered are terrified and feel totally helpless and out of control of their lives.

There is a second underlying epidemic that is also building up and it could be a tsunami, the effects on stress related to CoVid 19 Pandemic. These effects will vary based on personality types. Type A individuals strive under acute stress but often collapse when the stress declines.

This will occur in 2 phases.

Phase one is Sympathetic Overload (SO) This was well described by Hans Selye in his epic book “The Stress of Life”. Acute and Chronic stress or sympathetic overload are very different conditions.

Sympathetic response is often called the “Fight or Flight Reflex” This is a survival of the Individual Reflex.

Abraham Maslow described the Hiearchy of Needs and as a population we have dropped to the bottom of that pyramid or basic physiologic needs. This is an acute stress period.

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Anyone who truly wants to understands this subject should read “The Third Force” by Frank Gobel. Abraham Maslow in the preface to the book said that Gobel explained these difficult concepts he introduced in a clearer and more easy to understand fashion than his own work.

Long-term Stress is very different than Acute Stress. The Acute Stress leads to taking action which is positive, in this case supply for Basic Needs which explains hoarding and the lines found at the stores.

While Sympathetic Overload (SO) in acute stress is powerful it has a function. When it continues past the point of action it becomes chronic stress which causes diseases such as anxiety, depression and related chronic pain. Worst case scenarios it leads to Post Traumatic Stress Disorders or PTSD. I expect that the psychological community will see a huge rise in a wide variety of stress related disorders.

While there are many treatments for stress disorders most have a wide variety negative side effects. Hypertension increases with chronic stress as well.

The utilization of Self-Administered SphenoPalatine Ganglion Blocks (SASPGB) is ideal for treating these disorders. They are extremely cost effective compared to physician administered SPG Blocks. Because they are Self-Administered they can be done with exposing ourselves to repeated visits to physicians.

Self-administered SPG Blocks are done using a trans-nasal (thru the nose) Cotton-Tipped Nasal Catheter that can administer a continuous capillary feed of 2% lidocaine to the mucosa overlying the PterygoPalatine Fossa. The lidocaine passes thru the tissue into the fossa which contains the Maxillary Division of the Trigeminal Nerve, the maxillary artery and the Sphenopalatine Ganglion. I typically teach patients and have them do twice daily applications initially. A Google search of “SPG Blocks” and then linking to videos has a large number of patient testimonials. each and every patient is unique and will respond in their own unique fashion.

They are also extremely cost effective compared to other treatments for Anxiety, PTSD and Depression and have added benefits of treating headaches , migraines and many cases of Essential Hypertension. They only utilize 2% Lidocaine and inexpensive Cotton-Tipped Catheters (CTC)

The following is reprinted from www.SphenopalatineGangllionBlocks.com website with permission.

Treating Anxiety Associated with COVID 19 with Self-Administered Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks (SASPGB).

World-wide we are living in a period of very high stress and anxiety due to the Corona virus outbreak. Unfortunately there is excellent research that chronic levels of stress and anxiety and associated sleep disruptions tend to decrease our immune responses.

SPG Blocks are excellent for treating many types of pain but they can also eliminate about 1/3 of Essential Hypertension that is secondary to Sympathetic Overload.

I expect that we will see a massive Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) problems secondary to this epidemic, both from the general public as especially from members of our healthcare community. This is a disease / condition of Sympathetic Overload (SO)

The use of Self-Administered Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks (SASPGB) are ideal for dealing with this type of stress, anxiety and PTSD disorders.

SASPGB are done with 2% lidocaine which is a natural anti-inflammatory. More importantly is that Self-Administered SPG Blocks (SASPGB) take effect almost immediately with virtually no negative side effects. Like all treatments different individuals will have unique responses. Some individuals respond almost instantly to their first SPG Blocks while others respond best to a series of blocks.

The Sphenopalatine Ganglion is the largest Parasympathetic Ganglion of the cranium . The SPG also has Somatosensory nerves and carries sympathetic nerves from the Cervical Sympathetic Chain. The Stellate Ganglion (SG) is at the bottom of this chain. The Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) has been called the Miracle Block as well and in some veterans one block to the Ganglion can cure PTSD. This is under study by the military. The Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) will have a significant place in psychological treatments but is usually administered for Complex Regional Pain Syndromes (CRPS) also called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy(RSD) or Causalgia. The SPG Block will serve as an Indirect Stellate Ganglion Block (ISGB)

The Sympathetic response is known to cause many medical issues related to chronic stress. The “Fight or Flight” reflex is a powerful reflex to insure safety or survival of an individual. If you run into Grizzly bear you get ready to run like crazy or fight for your life. While important for survival in Acute stress dangerous conditions the ongoing Sympathetic overload causes multiple diseases and dysfunction including headaches, migraines and anxiety.

The Parasympathetic Reflex is the “Feed and Breed” reflex or “Rest and Digest” reflex. The Parasympathetic reflex is primary in Romantic Love. It comes out when we play with puppies, kittens or babies and is a natural anti-anxiety response.

Nomenclature is important and I suggest that the following will be extremely helpful in dealing with Covid 19 Stress Disorders (CV19SD)

SPG= Sphenopalatnie Ganglion

SPGB= Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block

SASGPB = Self-Administered Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block

SG = Stellate Ganglion

SGB = Stellate Ganglion Block

ISGB =Indirect Stellate Ganglion Block

SO = Sympathetic Overload

SR = Sympathetic Reflex

PR = Parasympathetic Reflex

SPGN = Sphenpalatine Ganglion Neuralgia also known as Sluder’s Neuralgia

PPG = Pterygopalatine Ganglion is the same as Sphenopalatine Ganglion named by location in Pterygopalatine Fossa

NG = Nasal Ganglion Same as Sphenopalatine Ganglion, Pterygopalatine Ganglion and Sluder’s Ganglion