The Reboot Protocol™ in Tampa, FL
Two days. Both sides.
Phase one of the Reboot method is an ultrasound-guided dual stellate ganglion block (DSGB). Dr. Michael Meighen does the right side on day one and the left side on day two.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Michael Meighen, MDUpdated October 29, 2026
Before you book
When your stress response will not switch off.
What does it feel like?
Exhausted all day, switched on all night: tired but wired.
Why start with the nervous system?
The clinic's view is that you cannot optimize the body until you reboot the nervous system. The Reboot Protocol™ is the first step of the nervous system reset phase.
How it works
What is the Reboot Protocol™?
A stellate ganglion block is an injection of local anesthetic around the stellate ganglion, a bundle of nerves in the front of the neck. These nerves help run the body's fight-or-flight response. Placed under real-time ultrasound, the injection temporarily blocks that signal. The Reboot Protocol™ treats the nerve bundle on both sides of the neck.
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The signal
The stellate ganglion helps regulate your stress response. Under chronic stress it can stay switched on.
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The block
A local anesthetic placed around it under ultrasound temporarily blocks that signal.
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The reset
With the signal interrupted, the nervous system has a chance to settle out of survival mode.
Who it may suit
- Adults whose stress response has felt stuck on for months
- Executives, first responders and veterans living with chronic stress
- Patients who want the nervous system looked at before diagnostics, hormones or peptides
Who it is not for
- Anyone in crisis today: call 911, or call or text 988
- Anyone seeking talk therapy or psychiatric medication, which the clinic does not provide
- Anyone for whom a neck injection is not medically safe, which your evaluation screens for
Nothing is booked until your evaluation shows the protocol fits.
Why people come
What brings people to the reset.
Each is considered only after an evaluation with Dr. Meighen.
- Burnout Exhaustion from long, heavy stress, most often at work. Read how burnout care starts.
- PTSD Alongside your therapy, for veterans, first responders and civilians. Read about stellate ganglion block for PTSD.
- Anxiety A stellate ganglion block for anxiety places local anesthetic beside a nerve bundle in the neck that carries fight-or-flight signals. Researchers are studying it for anxiety, and that research is still early. Stellate ganglion block uses a local anesthetic; using it for anxiety is off-label. Worry and fear that persist and get in the way. See the clinic's anxiety care.
- Depression Persistent sadness and loss of interest. See depression evaluation and care.
- TBI After a blow, blast or sudden jolt to the head. See TBI evaluation at the clinic.
- Long COVID Symptoms that last weeks or months after COVID-19. See long COVID evaluation and care.
Why this protocol
What sets it apart.
Image guided, both times
Each injection is placed under real-time ultrasound, watched on the treatment-room monitor.
Both sides, two days
Two outpatient visits, back to back: the right side, then the left.
Nothing to take at home
An injection in the clinic. There is no daily prescription to manage afterward.
Your options
How it compares, side by side.
Your evaluation weighs these with you, beside the care you already have.
| Option | What it involves | Time it takes | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Reboot Protocol™ | Local anesthetic at the stellate ganglion, right side then left, under ultrasound | Two consecutive days | Two medical injections, each with its own risks |
| Medication from your prescriber | A prescription, often taken every day | Ongoing, adjusted with your prescriber | Never stop a medication without talking to the doctor who prescribed it. |
| Talk therapy or counseling | Sessions with a licensed therapist | Set with your therapist | Not offered here. Your therapy and other care continue. |
Candidacy
Is it right for you?
It may suit you if
- Your stress response feels stuck on: tired but wired, sleep that does not restore you
- Your symptoms have lasted months
- Your days run on high stress, in the boardroom or on a shift
It may not be right if
- You cannot set aside two consecutive days
- You want it to replace your therapy or medication
- You plan to stop a prescription without your prescriber
Your evaluation with Dr. Meighen decides whether the protocol is right for you.
Your two-day protocol
What happens over two days.
Consultation and Nervous System Evaluation
Day one starts here. Dr. Meighen reviews your symptoms, history, medications and stress patterns before any injection.
Ultrasound-Guided Injection, Right Side
Still day one. Under real-time ultrasound, local anesthetic is placed around the right stellate ganglion.
Consultation and nervous system evaluation · Right-side injection under ultrasound · Monitoring, then home
Ultrasound-Guided Injection, Left Side
Day two. The same guided injection on the left side, which makes it a dual block. If day one's hoarse voice or trouble swallowing has not cleared, the second side waits.
Left-side injection under ultrasound · Monitoring, then home
30 to 45 Minutes of Monitoring, Each Day
After each injection you rest while the team monitors you. Warmth in the face or a heavy feeling around one eye can be part of a normal response. Do not eat or drink until swallowing feels normal again, then start with a sip of water.
Day two. Both sides done.
You can drive yourself home after monitoring. If there is any concern about driving, the staff arrange a driver or transportation. 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.
Cost and coverage
What it costs, and how to pay.
Prices are not published. Your cost is confirmed at your consultation, before anything is booked, and depends on:
- 01The protocol on its own, both sides over two days
- 02The protocol paired with lab work from the Restore phase
- 03The protocol as part of a broader plan across all four phases
Ask the team about insurance, including TRICARE, before you book.
We accept Cherry and CareCredit financing, subject to credit approval.
Ask about financingCherryCareCreditAsk about financing
Why Reboot Vitality
Who performs the protocol?
Medical Doctor, Reboot Vitality
Dr. Michael Meighen, MD, is double board-certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine, with advanced expertise in fluoroscopy and ultrasound.
Your evaluation is with Dr. Michael Meighen, MD. He performs both injections himself.
BrainTap and Dopamine Chair sessions round out everything in the Reset phase.
Patient reviews
In their words.
The DSGB procedure has helped reset my Adrenals, giving me better sleep and energy.
…Dr Mike answered all my questions about the DSGB. The procedure itself was extremely helpful and eye opening…
Fantastic with Dr. Mike and his crew! The SGB procedure was quick and easy and the wellness info they provided was top notch…
Individual experiences vary.
Where the protocol happens
North Hyde Park, Tampa.
The protocol is performed at the clinic inside AgeRejuvenation in North Hyde Park, just blocks from the University of Tampa. Parking on site is free on both days.
220 N Howard Ave Ste B
Tampa, FL 33606
(844) 727-2192
- Monday to Friday
- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday
- Closed
Book online or call
Start your Reset.
Request your consultation and nervous system evaluation. Prefer to talk it through? Call (844) 727-2192, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m..
- Send the short form, or callLeave your name and number in the booking form and the team will reach out to schedule your consultation.
- Consultation and nervous system evaluationYour symptoms, history, medications and stress-load patterns are reviewed before anything else happens.
- Your two-day protocolDay one: the right side. Day two: the left. Each day ends with 30 to 45 minutes of monitoring, then you go home.
- Evaluation with Dr. Meighen first
- Ultrasound-guided, both sides
- Home after monitoring each day
This form should only be used for general information (i.e., don't send any detailed/personal health information via this form). All patient-specific care questions should be addressed during your appointment.
Questions about the protocol
Short answers before you book.
Pick a question. Still wondering? Call (844) 727-2192
Who should not get a stellate ganglion block?
Blood thinners, a bleeding problem or a past reaction to a local anesthetic can rule a block out. So can an infection where the injection goes, pregnancy, some heart or lung conditions and recent thoughts of suicide.
A very slow heartbeat or a heart-block rhythm problem needs a check first. So does a collapsed lung or paralyzed diaphragm on the other side, or a severe lung disease such as COPD, because the block can briefly weaken breathing on the treated side. Your evaluation screens for each.
How risky is a stellate ganglion block?
Common, usually temporary effects include a droopy eyelid and a smaller pupil on that side, part of what doctors call Horner's syndrome. A red or watery eye, a stuffy nose, a hoarse voice, trouble swallowing and a warm face are common too.
The arm on that side can feel warm, heavy or numb, and you may feel lightheaded or have soreness or a bruise where the needle went in. These usually fade within a few hours.
Serious complications are rare: infection, bleeding, nerve injury, a collapsed lung, an allergic reaction or short-lived shortness of breath. If the anesthetic reaches a blood vessel, it can cause a seizure or a change in heart rhythm. This is why we watch you for 30 to 45 minutes.
What is the average cost of a stellate ganglion block?
No price is published. Your cost depends on whether the protocol stands alone, comes with lab work or sits in a broader plan, and it is confirmed at your consultation.
Is a stellate ganglion block covered by insurance?
Ask the team about insurance, including TRICARE, before you book.
Does a stellate ganglion block actually work?
A 2020 randomized trial in JAMA Psychiatry enrolled 113 active-duty service members. Two right-side blocks reduced PTSD symptom scores more than a sham injection over 8 weeks. The VA's patient guide calls the evidence inconclusive, and the two-sided approach has less published evidence. Individual experiences vary.
How bad does a stellate ganglion block hurt?
A thin needle is used in the front of the neck, and soreness or bruising where it went in is a common side effect. How it feels differs from person to person.
What type of doctor performs a stellate ganglion block?
A physician. Here it is Dr. Michael Meighen, MD, whose training includes ultrasound-guided cervical nerve blocks. He performs both sides himself.
Close the loop
Reclaim your edge.
Book your day-one consultation with Dr. Meighen.