What happens right after each injection?
You rest in the clinic while the team monitors you for 30 to 45 minutes. Warmth in the face or a heavy feeling around one eye can be part of a normal response. The team tells you what to expect before you begin.
The two sides are done on separate days. The right side comes on day one, after your consultation and evaluation. The left side follows on day two, with the same monitoring afterward. If day one's hoarse voice or trouble swallowing has not cleared, the second side waits.
Why can your eyelid feel heavy?
The stellate ganglion carries sympathetic signals to the head and face. When the block quiets them, you may notice a droopy eyelid or a smaller pupil, a red or watery eye, a stuffy nose or a hoarse voice. The arm on that side can feel warm, heavy or numb, and you may feel lightheaded.
Doctors call the eyelid change part of Horner's syndrome, and they often read it as a sign the block reached its target. These effects usually go away within a few hours. Do not eat or drink until swallowing feels normal again, then start with a sip of water.
Can you drive yourself home?
Yes. After monitoring you can drive yourself home. If there is any concern about driving, the staff arrange a driver or transportation.
Providers usually give instructions for care at home after a block. Ask the team which ones apply to you before you leave. Seek care now for trouble breathing, chest pain, swelling in the neck, a fever, redness or pus at the injection site, or side effects still there the next day.
How long does a block last once the numbness fades?
The local anesthetic wears off within hours. Any calming effect on the stress response is a separate question, and it varies from person to person.
A 2020 trial in JAMA Psychiatry followed active-duty service members for 8 weeks after two right-side blocks. The VA's patient guide says a block may ease PTSD symptoms for at least a few weeks in some people. It adds that the long-term effects are unknown. Individual experiences vary.
Why might someone need more than one round?
A block does not remove the pressures that built up the stress response. The VA notes that a second injection may add benefit for some people.
Whether a repeat makes sense for you is a decision you make with Dr. Michael Meighen, based on how you respond. It is never scheduled by default.
How can you support the reset in the weeks after?
Steady routines help: a regular sleep schedule, regular meals, exercise and simple relaxation practice such as deep breathing. Keep up any therapy you already have, and never stop a medication without talking to the doctor who prescribed it.
Your plan may also add BrainTap or Dopamine Chair sessions, which sit with the block in everything in the Reset phase. Your evaluation decides whether they fit.
Where does recovery fit in the two-day protocol?
Recovery is built into each day: injection, monitoring, then home. You can see how the two days are scheduled, from the first consultation to the left-side injection.
Common questions
Is recovery painful?
Soreness or bruising where the needle went in is a common side effect. Like the other short-term effects, it usually settles soon after.
When can I go back to work?
Ask the team at your evaluation. The firm guidance is about getting home: you can drive yourself after monitoring, and the staff arrange a ride if there is any concern.
Does a droopy eyelid mean something went wrong?
It is a known, usually temporary effect of the block and typically fades within a few hours. Call the clinic about any new symptom that worries you.
Can I have the block more than once?
Some people do. The VA notes that a second injection may help some individuals, and whether a repeat suits you is decided with Dr. Meighen.