Welcome to episode 228 with Dr Eugene Lipov, who is an anaesthesiologist and pain physician and a leading expert in treating post-traumatic stress.

When advanced brain scans revealed trauma’s invisible scars on the brain, Dr Lipov realised that if trauma could be seen, then it could be treated and he became the pioneer of using a stellate ganglion block to alleviate the symptoms of PTSD, a procedure that is so impactful that it has been nicknamed ‘The God Shot’ by a Royal Marine who received the treatment.

The stellate ganglion is a cluster of sympathetic nerves in the neck that plays a big part in the body’s fight or flight response and it’s this upregulated state that can become hypersensitive in people who have experienced trauma or have a diagnosis of PTSD.

A stellate ganglion block (SGB) is a medical procedure that involves injecting a local anaesthetic in to these nerves, which essentially turns off the stress response, and allows the nervous system to reset to a less anxious state.

In this episode, Dr Lipov joins me to talk about this revolutionary procedure, how he came to work with it and the science behind how it works.

We chat about his own experiences with trauma and how they informed and inspired his passion for this work and he breaks down the myths around treatment of trauma and PTSD that keep people trapped and offers his take on real healing and full recovery.

And we chat about the physiology of trauma, how trauma can be contagious and passed between generations, ending stigma through science and looking at trauma as a physical injury and not a mental weakness.

You can learn more about Dr Lipov’s work at Dr. Eugene Lipov | Stellate Ganglion Treatment for PTSD

His book The God Shot.  Healing Trauma’s Legacy: The Science, the Stories, the Solution is out next year and available for pre order here: The God Shot | By Dr. Eugene Lipov and Lauren Ungeldi

Follow Dr Lipov on social media @dreugenelipov

You can connect with me on social media @propermentalpodcast or via www.propermentalpodcast.com.

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Thanks for listening!