Two celebrity treatments doctors wish every patient could access
Key Takeaways
Industry Buzz
"Celebrities tend to be more inclined to be on the hunt for highly-effective solutions across beauty, health, mental health, nutrition, and so on.” - Brian Boyle, MD, Chief Psychiatrist at Stella Mental Health
"Patients may experience strong emotions related to the rapid relief generated by the block. In this setting, patients receive support and comfort from clinical staff.” - Brian Boyle, MD, Chief Psychiatrist at Stella Mental Health
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Celebrities always seem to receive new, popular, and pricy medical treatments. Sometimes, the perceived benefits of these treatments are too good to be true. Other times, celebrity treatments really are worth the hype.
Read Next: Jeremy Renner’s secret weapon for recovery after nearly dying in snowplow accidentExperts say that, despite their high price tags, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) chamber treatments for tissue repair and stellate ganglion block (SGB) treatments for mental health or pain are two celebrity-recommended treatments that non-celebrities alike could benefit from.
Hyperbaric oxygen chambers
Hyperbaric oxygen chambers are rooms that are filled with 100% oxygen at increased pressure.[] The oxygen and pressure levels in this chamber are more intense than those of a regular room or the air outdoors, and their combined intensity helps promote tissue healing in the body.
Hyperbaric oxygen chambers can be used to help people recover from tissue damage caused by bone infections, skin wounds, compromised skin flaps or grafts, diabetes-induced wounds, or injuries caused by radiation therapy. It is also being studied for its effectiveness in treating patients with long COVID.[]
Celebrities like Jeremy Renner have used hyperbaric oxygen chambers to support healing. Renner has used it to assist in his recovery following a snowplow accident in 2023.
Stellate ganglion block treatments
Stellate ganglion block (SGB) treatments are localized anesthetic injections that assist in pain relief and mental health treatment.[] Brian Boyle, MD, Chief Psychiatrist at Stella Mental Health, a practice that provides SGB treatments along with ketamine therapy and other physical and mental health interventions, says that SGB treatments have multiple purposes.
One, SGB treatments can impact sympathetic nervous system activity in a similar way to alpha blockers, beta blockers, and centrally active drugs. Two, Dr. Boyle says, these treatments can target “a specific neuroanatomical location to treat symptoms of mental illness,” similar to how transcranial magnetic stimulation treats depression and OCD. And three, he adds, the treatments can “generate rapid and profound change in symptoms of mental illness,” similar to how ketamine therapy treatment works for some people with depression.
A typical SGB treatment takes about 30 minutes, Dr. Boyle says, during which time patients receive local anesthetic in their neck, followed by the placement of an ultrasound probe and then an injection of a larger dose of local anesthetic placed adjacent to the stellate ganglion.
During the treatment, Dr. Boyle says, “patients will feel a small amount of brief, sharp pain with the initial administration of local anesthetic, followed by sensations of pressure through the rest of the procedure.”
After the procedure, people tend to feel emotional. “Patients may experience strong emotions related to the rapid relief generated by the block,” Dr. Boyle says. “In this setting, patients receive support and comfort from clinical staff.”
While some patients receive partial sedation during their treatment, such as the use of midazolam, Dr. Boyle says that sedation is not necessary.
Billionaire Bob Parsons is just one celebrity who has undergone SGB treatments.[] According to Dr. Boyle, several other high-profile celebrities have, too.
As for why this treatment is so attractive to the rich and famous, “celebrities tend to be more inclined to be on the hunt for highly-effective solutions across beauty, health, mental health, nutrition, and so on,” Dr. Boyle says. “We also know that trauma does not discriminate and no one is immune, no matter how much you try to protect your well-being.”