SPHENOPALATINE (NASAL) GANGLION - REMOTE EFFECTS INCLUDING PSYCHOSOMATIC SYMPTOMS, RAGE REACTION, PAIN, AND SPASM

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 60  (8) , 353-359
Abstract
Many articles implicate the nasal ganglion in the production of remote symptoms and in treatment regimens. Symptoms are primarily spastic, involving both visceral and voluntary muscles including muscle spasm in the neck, shoulder and low back; asthma, hypertension, intestinal spasm; diarrhea, angina pectoris, uterine spasm; intractable hiccup and many others. All these symptoms appear to have 2 common denominators. They are mediated by the autonomic nervous system and at least in some instances can be psychosomatic. The sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) is a major autonomic ganglion located superficially in the pterygopalatine fossa, with major afferent distribution to the entire nasopharynx and important connections with the trigeminal nerve, facial nerve, internal carotid artery plexus of the sympathetic nervous system and, as shown in the rat, direct connection with the anterior pituitary gland. The SPG probably has a crucial role in lower animals in declenching the reflex responses known collectively as the rage reaction. The SPG is a major point of entry to the autonomic system exposed to pathologic influences and readily accessible for therapeutic intervention. A wide variety of symptoms are produced or maintained by alteration in autonomic system tonus and some of these may be affected by intervention on the SPG. The possible relationship of some symptoms and psychosomatic conditions to the autonomic nervous system and the rage reaction in humans must be considered.

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