WellStone, Cullman VFW help veterans find relief from PTSD

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - A treatment used to help people with chronic pain is giving hope to those with post-traumatic stress disorder. The Stallete Gagllion Blockage takes just 60 minutes but it can provide around a year of relief.

Every day, 22 veterans take their own life.

“They are taking anti-depression, antipsychotic meds, and going to therapy at VA and it has only made their situation worse,” said Retired Air Force Colonel Ken Brown.

WellStone Chief Operations Officer Chris Van Dyke says now there is a new and simple shot helping veterans suffering with PTSD called Stellate Ganglion Block.

“They have found that this nerve blocking resets the sympathetic nervous system,” said Dyke.

Army Veteran Brian Monk served in Iraq from 2007 to 2008. Not knowing that tour would change him.

“When I came home I wasn’t the same person. I was anxious. I was nervous. I couldn’t sleep. I was having nightmares,” said Monk.

Monk says he wouldn’t be where he is today without it. “It changed my life,” said Monk.

He says he wouldn’t be where he is today without it.

“My wife would have probably buried me four years ago.”

Around Alabama, 200 veterans have already received the shot. Over 90% of those veterans benefited from the treatment. With a $200,000 grant from the state, Wellstone is partnering with the Cullman County VFW to give the shot to 160 more veterans.

“We are trying to reach as many veterans as we can. I took five Vietnam veterans that have bottled it up for the last 50-60 years and they were like wow where has this been?”

Dyke says as part of the pilot program at Wellstone, data will be collected on its effectiveness, in hopes of gaining more funding by next year.

“We really want to get all the available funding and show the effectiveness, or not, however, the data comes out.”

If you are interested you can call Wellstone or the Cullman County VFW. If you suffer from PTSD and are skeptical about whether SGB may be right for you, the Cullman VFW holds an SGB support group every night at 7 p.m.

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