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The lumbar spine consists of five vertebrae, with spinal nerves exiting each side. Between each vertebra is a disk that prevents the bones from rubbing on each other. Spinal nerves can become compressed with arthritic changes or by disks that have slipped into the nerve space. Symptoms of nerve compression include back pain, pain down the leg on the side of the compression, numbness or tingling and weakness in the leg muscles. Lumbar traction uses pneumatic pressure to length the spine and relieve pressure on the nerves.
Lumbar traction stretches the lower back in an attempt to increase patient mobility and alleviate pain. Mechanical traction employs halters, harnesses and hand grips to support stability on motorized split-traction tables. As traction tables are extended, spinal vertebrae slowly pull apart and disc positions readjust. On the whole, mechanical traction tables apply motorized pulling to many of the same techniques that are strenuous for physical therapists and osteopathic clinicians when done manually.
Cervical traction is a method used by physical therapists to help alleviate neck pain, headaches, joint stiffness, muscle tightness, osteoarthritis and herniated disks. Basically, traction uses the force of pulling to stretch the spine. It has traditionally been administered in physical therapy clinics. However, since many people cannot attend physical therapy sessions indefinitely due to time or cost constraints, many traction unit manufacturers have developed units for home use. Saunders Cervical HomeTrac is one brand of home-based traction device.
In 2007, I was in a car accident that left me with severe back and neck pain. An MRI revealed that I had cervical kyphosis, or a straightening of the cervical spine. The natural position for your cervical spine, or neck, is a slight c-curve that allows your head to balance on your neck and shoulders without causing muscle strain. After a series of physical therapy sessions, I found that the most effective way to relieve my pain was through cervical traction. A simple and cheap way to perform at-home cervical traction is through the use of a towel roll.
If you suffer from episodes of persistent neck pain as a function of injury, strain, overuse or aging, home traction could help. Empi is a company offering the Saunders Cervical Traction device, an easy-to-use home traction machine that can provide relief for a range of neck symptoms. However, make sure you get your doctor's OK before applying any kind of traction to your neck or spine.
Doctors prescribe cervical traction, a form of physical therapy, when irritated nerves in the neck cause pain. A physical therapist trains you to use your unit and checks your progress during your next physical therapy appointment.
Cervical traction is a common chiropractic treatment that is of benefit to those suffering from neck pain or spinal injury. It often can be performed by the patient and without the need for repetitive doctor visits.
Several different cervical traction devices are on the market today, and nearly all of them produce the same desired results. The device is usually based on a pulley system that is mounted to a door. Hanging from the pulley system is usually a strap or harness designed to fit around the head or chin. On the other end of the pulley system is either a small weight or tension cord designed to pull the strap or harness up, thus opening the joint spaces found in the cervical vertebrae.
Cervical neck traction is a method of straightening out neck bones, muscles and ligaments to restore them to their natural position. This is used to alleviate neck and shoulder pain resulting from sitting at a computer, being on your feet all day or minor strains in your neck. Traction can use either a brace with a pulley attached to a door, or a pillow that inflates to push the neck upward and elongate it. The use of traction mechanisms should not take precedence over proper medical care.
The cervical spine consists of the top seven vertebrae of the spine (C-1 to C-7). The neck and low back are the most flexible parts of the spine and the sites of the most common complaints of pain. This is often because of postural habits that may create pain in the neck. A health professional can perform therapeutic traction on your neck, or you can use a slant board or do a simple yoga pose, Uttanasana, to create healthy traction.
Traction is a therapeutic technique employed to stabilize injuries to the musculoskeletal system, most notably the neck and spine. It helps to stabilize disc injuries and allow the spine to heal without having to support itself. There are both manual and mechanical mobilization techniques to address the cervical spine.
Cervical traction is a procedure used for neck pain patients to correct the alignment of the spinal column by stretching the spine. This can be done at a practitioner's office or in the home. Cervical traction can alleviate pain by stretching muscles and decreases nerve root compression. It is important to be aware of the possible risks involved prior to starting cervical traction.
A variety of spinal disorders cause neck pain, which may be degenerative or derive from an injury. Many can be treated with cervical traction. Sometimes, herniated discs can be successfully treated with cervical traction. Cervical spine traction provides a constant or intermittent and non-painful force to stretch muscles and ligaments while increasing the space between vertebrae. The goal is to relieve the pain caused by the pinched nerves and possibly increase the range of motion.
Cervical traction is the process of using force to straighten the spine. More common devices are similar to neck braces and weights that lift the skull. Cervical traction is used to treat damages to the spine from misalignment or pressure.
Cervical traction is a light stretching of the neck. The neck, or cervical spine, has seven vertebrae. Any of these can be injured from whiplash in a minor car accident, or even from sitting for extended periods of time at work or while driving. Cervical traction helps create space between the vertebrae to keep the spinal discs healthy. It can be achieved through yoga poses, assisted stretching or with the help of a chiropractor, physical therapist or massage therapist.
Cervical neck traction is used to relieve pressure on a pinched nerve, and is also helpful for a variety of other neck problems. It also reduces the pain, weakness, and numbness that is associated with a pinched nerve. Performing cervical neck traction at home is easy, safe, effective, painless, and best of all it can help swollen, irritated nerves to heal and become small enough that they are no longer pinched. All it takes is a cord, small towel, and a few minutes each day to perform cervical neck traction at home for free.
