When headaches keep coming back and medication is not holding them off, a nerve block is one of the options worth asking about. SphenoCath is a way of delivering that block through the nose, with no needles involved, in an appointment that usually takes about fifteen minutes.
It is not right for everyone, and it is not a cure. But for people whose headaches have not responded well to other approaches, it can be a useful part of a wider plan. Our neurologists will tell you honestly whether it is worth trying in your case.
What a SphenoCath Nerve Block Is
Behind your nose sits a small bundle of nerves called the sphenopalatine ganglion. It plays a role in many headache and facial pain conditions. Numbing it temporarily, known as an SPG block, is a technique doctors have used for over a hundred years.
What has changed is how the medication gets there. SphenoCath is a soft, flexible catheter that carries numbing medication through the nostril to that nerve bundle directly. No needles, no cotton swabs, and no spray applicators, which is what made older versions of this procedure uncomfortable enough that most people never had it offered to them.
What It Is Used For
An SPG block may be considered for several headache and facial pain conditions, usually alongside other treatment rather than instead of it.
Cluster headaches
Trigeminal neuralgia and facial nerve pain
Headaches that have not responded to medication
Headaches in people who cannot tolerate certain medications
Not sure whether your headaches fit any of these? That is what an evaluation is for. Our neurologists will work out what type of headache you are dealing with before recommending anything.
What the Appointment Is Like
NO NEEDLES, NO SEDATION, ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES
Most of the appointment is spent lying still. Here is the whole thing, start to finish.
01
You lie back
You rest on the exam table with your chin tilted back. No gown, no preparation needed.
02
The catheter is placed
Your provider guides a soft catheter into the nostril and up toward the target area.
03
What it feels like
Many people report no pain at all. Some feel a brief pinch when the tip reaches position.
04
The medication goes in
Numbing medication is delivered to the nerve bundle, then the catheter comes straight out.
05
Rest for ten minutes
You stay lying flat for about ten minutes so the medication settles where it should.
06
Back to your day
There is no sedation, so most people return to normal activity shortly afterward.
Is This Right for You
A few honest points, because it matters more that this works for you than that you book it.
Relief varies. Many people notice a difference soon after the procedure, and for some it lasts days or weeks. Others get little benefit. There is no reliable way to know in advance which group you are in, which is why it is usually tried rather than promised.
It can be repeated. Because the effect is temporary, the block is often given as a short series or repeated periodically, and your provider will talk through what that schedule might look like for you.
It is generally well tolerated. Side effects tend to be mild, though some people experience temporary discomfort, a bitter taste, or a brief nosebleed. Your provider will go through the risks with you before you decide.
Why Choose A Ray of Hope
A nerve block is a tool, not a treatment plan. What matters is whether the headache behind it has been properly diagnosed, and whether the rest of your care is working. That is the part we do first.
Performed by neurologists, not a general clinic
A full headache evaluation before any procedure
Coordinated with your preventive and acute treatments
Other options available if this one is not a fit
Neurology, psychiatry, and therapy under one practice
Find the Right Provider
SphenoCath starts with a headache evaluation, so the first step is seeing one of our neurologists.
Ready When You Are
Choose the office nearest you to request an appointment, or give us a call and we will help you find the right provider.
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