Mito
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“New research has bolstered the argument that a century-old pain management technique is effective for treating post-traumatic stress disorder.
Results of a clinical trial published online Wednesday by JAMA Psychiatry show that stellate ganglion block, or SGB, injections reduced PTSD symptoms at roughly twice the rate of a placebo, resulting in a noticeable improvement for those who received them.
The study of 108 active duty military personnel is the largest to date to test the treatment, which involves injecting a mild anesthetic — in this case, ropivicaine — into a bundle of nerves in the neck that serve the neck, head, arms and upper chest.
Two injections were given to participants two weeks apart, with two-thirds of the patients receiving SGB shots and one third receiving a placebo. All patients took the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale assessment, called the CAPS-5, before their first injection and then after eight weeks.
Those who receive the SGB improved on average 12.6 points on the CAPS-5, while those who received the sham injection improved by 6.1 points. A 10-point improvement is “enough that the person should notice a significant improvement in their life,” according to Kristine Rae Olmsted, a research epidemiologist with RTI International, the nonprofit research institute that conducted the Army-funded study.
New research shows nerve injections are effective for treating PTSD symptoms
Results of a clinical trial published online Wednesday by JAMA Psychiatry show that stellate ganglion block, or SGB, injections reduced PTSD symptoms at roughly twice the rate of a placebo, resulting in a noticeable improvement for those who received them.
The study of 108 active duty military personnel is the largest to date to test the treatment, which involves injecting a mild anesthetic — in this case, ropivicaine — into a bundle of nerves in the neck that serve the neck, head, arms and upper chest.
Two injections were given to participants two weeks apart, with two-thirds of the patients receiving SGB shots and one third receiving a placebo. All patients took the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale assessment, called the CAPS-5, before their first injection and then after eight weeks.
Those who receive the SGB improved on average 12.6 points on the CAPS-5, while those who received the sham injection improved by 6.1 points. A 10-point improvement is “enough that the person should notice a significant improvement in their life,” according to Kristine Rae Olmsted, a research epidemiologist with RTI International, the nonprofit research institute that conducted the Army-funded study.
New research shows nerve injections are effective for treating PTSD symptoms
