The stellate ganglion is part of the sympathetic nervous system that is located in your neck, on either side of your voice box. A stellate ganglion block is used to diagnose or treat nerve injuries, nerve pain, and circulation problems.

An injection of medication into these nerves can help relieve pain in the head, neck, upper arm and upper chest. This treatment may be used in response to reflex sympathetic dystrophy, causalgia, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type I or II, Herpes zoster infection (shingles) affecting the head, neck, arm or upper chest, or Phantom limb pain.