A new article August 5, 2019 details the use of Self-Administered SPG Blocks (Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks) for treating Trigeminal Neuralgia of the maxillary division of the Trigeminal Nerve. The article "Intranasal self-administration of local anesthetic (ropivacaine) for sphenopalatine ganglion block, for treatment of second trigeminal branch neuralgia secondary to maxillary sinus curettage: A case report."
Dr Shapira has been the leading advocate of teaching patients to Self-Administer SPG Blocks with Cotton-Tipped Nasal Catheters that can provide continual capillary feed or Lidocaine or other anesthetics to the nasal mucosa overlying the ganglion in the Pterygopalatine Fossa. He began using the blocks and teaching self-administration iin 1986 and has taught the technique most recently in Moscow but has also taught it in the US and in Argentina. His next course will be at the ICCMO meeting iin Kansas City in September 2019.
Dr Shapira has been utilizing Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks and Neeuromuscular Dentistry to eliminate, treat and prevent all types of headaches for both international patients and national patients in his Highland Park, Illinois office. He recently had a papeer published on Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks, the Autonomic Nervous System and Neuromusclar Dentistry in May. This article can be found on Sphenopalatine Ganglion Blocks website at: https://www.sphenopalatineganglionblocks.com/spg-blocks-and-neuromodulation/
Another article published March 6 2019 "Sphenopalatine Ganglion Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation" discussed Sphenopalatine Ganglion (SPG)Neuralgia describes as " a complex disease characterized by chronic head and neck pain which often accompanied by autonomic features. Although symptoms are highly variable, patients typically have dull headaches associated with pain in the maxillary arch and teeth. The onset of intense pain can be accompanied by profuse sweating and vasomotor changes. The SPG has been a target for various procedures to ease the symptoms of myofascial pain, postherpetic neuralgia, post-traumatic headache, cluster headache and pain originating from the temporomandibular joint, as well as various head and neck cancers.
Self-Administered SPG Blocks have been used for treating cancers and severe pain issues. Several of Dr Shapira's patientts havee made videos describing the effect of these block : https://www.reddit.com/r/SPGBlocks/
Another recent article "Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block for the Treatment of Acute Migraine Headache." describes how useful the blocks are for treating Acute Migraine. They described "Transnasal sphenopalatine ganglion block is emerging as is an attractive and effective treatment modality for acute migraine headaches, cluster headache, trigeminal neuralgia, and several other conditions. We assessed the efficacy and safety of this treatment using the Sphenocath® device." In this study they utilized the Sphenocath device which doctor Shapira also utilizes but he prefers the Cotton-Tipped Nasal Catheters because they are easier and less expensive for patients to self-administer. SPG Blocks that are self-administered are probably the most cost effective treatment medicine has to offer for many patients. Self administration is key to fast relief and decreased costs. Dr Shapira has taught some patients to use the Sphenocath device to self administer the blocks as well but personally feels the cotton tipped catheters are by far the most effective and efficient method.
There is a 100 year safety history for SPG Block sand a Medical Textbook Nasal Neurology was written on the topic by Greenfield Sluder MD who first described the block in 1908. He later became the Chair of Otolaryngology (ENT) at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis.
Dr Shapira's primary website is www.ThinkBetterLife.com.
