Clues?? Ganglion Impar inject & relief from agonizing pain

[Violet M]

Lynne, this website explains how the ganglion impar and pudendal nerve are related and why even if your problem stemmed from the pudendal nerve the ganglion impar block would help:

http://arizonapain.com/pain-center/pain ... par-block/
http://tinyurl.com/7ya7oof

Here is an excerpt:

Since the ganglion impar receives afferent pain fibers from the perineum, distal rectum, anus, distal urethra, vulva, and distal third of the vagina this block can potentially alleviate pain originating from the above mentioned regions.

It sounds like the ganglion impart must receive some afferent fibers from the pudendal nerve.

We had a gal on the old forum who had several successful ganglion impar blocks and then had the more permanent procedure done with phenol. I think she had that procedure twice and last we heard she was doing very well.

There's an article about this more permanent procedure on the coccyx.org website:

http://www.coccyx.org/treatmen/foye.htm
http://tinyurl.com/7nvspmk

I hope you will get some more permanent pain relief.

Best,

Violet

[Lernica]

Violet,

Thank you for these very helpful links. I have an appointment with an anaesthetist/pain intervention doctor soon and will raise this with him. What is the "distal rectum" and "distal third of the vagina". I can't figure it out.

Thanks again. You're a gem!!

[carolynm]

You can think of "distal" as being furthest from your head!

[Jackson]

Hi Violet,

I can't see any reference, in my research, to the ganglion impar receiving any referred pain from the penis (particularly the skin). Have you come across this?

Cheers Jackson.

[Violet M]

Jackson, no I haven't but I've not done extensive research on it.

Violet

[Dave]

I have had some benefit with ganglion impar blocks. It can help with male genital pain. Compared to a pudendal block, it is less invasive and can be repeated more easily.

IMO it is a block worth a try even though it is said by some to be infrequently effective.

[Jackson]

I have had some benefit with ganglion impar blocks. It can help with male genital pain. Compared to a pudendal block, it is less invasive and can be repeated more easily.

IMO it is a block worth a try even though it is said by some to be infrequently effective.

Hi Dave,

Thanks for that info. That's proof positive and, I guess therefore, there's some literature around to recommend it's use for male genital pain. I've only been able to come up with the same info.in Voilet's post at the start of this thread.

Did your blocks contain phenol? and how long did they last?

Cheers Jackson

[Dave]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for that info. That's proof positive and, I guess therefore, there's some literature around to recommend it's use for male genital pain. I've only been able to come up with the same info.in Voilet's post at the start of this thread.

Did you blocks contain phenol? and how long did they last?

Cheers Jackson

My anesthesiologist does use this block for penile pain. That doesn't mean it will always work. But I think the block is relatively low risk.

The blocks I received were the typical lidocaine / steroid type. The phenol block is used to kill the nerve cluster (which is perhaps more effective, but I imagine carries higher risk).

This was my experience with impars: I had a series of blocks months apart. Most of the blocks resulted in some transient numbness at the tip of the penis and sometimes in the perineum. Often the blocks would result in a slight long term improvement (a few percent better... something like that), but after several blocks, they stopped offering improvement.

[Jackson]

Hi Dave,

That's very interesting info, you've given..

Yes, I've read the phenol can cause nerve damage. I'm not bound to using phenol, though. It seems it's more of a permanent block when all else has failed and in cases of palliative care.

Mine's being done as a diagnostic block. Which brings me to the question: did your blocks help in reaching a diagnosis?

Cheers, Jackson.