Neck Traction: Risks, Benefits & More

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Is Neck Traction?
• Benefits of Neck Traction
• Risks of Cervical Traction

Neck traction, also called cervical traction, is a type of stretching that is often used for neck pain. 

The term traction can mean different things in health care, but it generally refers to using a pulling force to treat joint, bone, or muscle problems. This is often used in physical therapy or orthopedics to treat:

• Long-lasting muscle spasms
• Dislocation
• Fractures 
• Deformities 

Traction is usually used on the neck, spine, arms, legs, and pelvis to help with any muscle, joint, or bone problems. 

The concept of traction uses force and counterforce to pull in the opposite directions. This usually involves pulling one way and adjusting a bed or using your body weight as a counterweight in the other direction.

This is often used for broken limbs. You might have seen someone with their leg wrapped, attached to a pulley system with weights, and hanging in midair. The pulley helps pull in one direction and your body weight pulls in the opposite. This is often done to help align bones for proper healing. 

Neck traction, or cervical traction, also uses pulling force on the neck. These are usually stretches or other exercises that are used to relieve neck pain. These can sometimes involve devices that you can use at home. 

There are three types of neck traction, which are used at different times.

Manual cervical traction. This is done with your therapist using their hands to gently pull your head and neck away from your body. They hold your head for 10 seconds and then gently release. They might do it several times at different angles. 

This type of traction is used: 

• To diagnose your neck condition
• During massage or physical therapy to gently stretch muscles
• During chiropractic adjustment to gently stretch the neck
• To relieve pain

Mechanical cervical traction. In this kind of traction, a harness is attached to your head while you lay down. Your therapist attaches the harness to a machine and uses traction to stretch your head and neck away from your body.

This kind of traction can also involve a Halo device or Gardner-Wells tongs, which use a ring pinned to the skull. These can be attached to a vest for long-term wear to help stabilize the neck, or attached to a harness. A machine or a weight is then applied to the Halo to provide the pull.

Over-the-door cervical traction. This kind of neck traction is used in a therapy office or at home. A harness or cushioned sling is strapped to your head and neck. The harness is then attached to a rope and pulley system over a door. Sometimes a weight is added to the end of the rope or you can manually pull the rope to stretch the neck.

Neck traction is used in physical therapy settings, the emergency room, and sometimes at home. It is considered a non-invasive way to stabilize fractures or dislocations in the neck and spine. It’s also used for:

• Arthritis
• Pinched nerves
• Cervical disc disease
• Misalignment of cervical bones
• Spondylosis, or spinal degenerative disc disease
• Stenosis, or narrowing of the cervical space
• Scoliosis‌

Neck traction has specific benefits, including:

• Easing muscle spasm
• Stopping muscles from shortening and contracting
• Easing pressure
• Helping to bring back blood flow and nerve function
• Keeping your neck stable 
• Correcting deformities
• Resting an injury
• Relieving pain

People who have neck problems can sometimes have numbness and tingling in the arms and legs and a lot of pain, among other symptoms. It’s not fully clear how neck traction helps, but it’s thought that being in traction can take off some of the pressure on the nerve, and help muscles relax, which brings relief.

Sometimes traction is used on and off with periods of rest. This might bring more blood flow to your nerves. This kind of traction is used mostly for degenerative disc disease and when your neck doesn’t move well.

Sustained traction uses weights or force for longer periods of time, usually up to 1 hour. This is used mostly for muscle pain and herniated discs.

Problems from neck traction are rare. People who have certain health conditions probably shouldn’t use this therapy. These include:

• Torticollis
• Aortic aneurysm
• Osteoporosis
• Spinal cord tumor
• Major anxiety
• Untreated high blood pressure
• Recent neck injury or surgery
• Chronic cervical disc degeneration
• Pregnancy 

Your physical therapist or doctor will decide if you should use neck traction and if an at-home traction device is a good idea.

If you have any of the following symptoms during neck traction, you should stop immediately and be assessed by your doctor:

• Headache
• Nerve pain in your extremities
• Pain suddenly goes away
• Neurological symptoms
  • Muscle weakness
  • Numbness
  • Fainting
  • Confusion
  • Vision loss 
  • Tremors
  • Seizures 

Neck traction is one way to help with neck pain and other problems. Your muscles and tissues and spine are sensitive to damage, so it’s best to get advice from your doctor first.

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What Are The Benefits of Cervical Traction? Plus Exercises to Try

What is cervical traction?

Traction of the spine, known as cervical traction, is a popular treatment for neck pain and related injuries. Essentially, cervical traction pulls your head away from your neck to create expansion and eliminate compression. It’s considered to be an alternative treatment for neck pain, helping people avoid the need for medication or surgeries. It can be used as part of a physical therapy treatment or on your own at home.

Cervical traction devices lightly stretch the neck to reduce pressure on the spine by pulling or separating the vertebrae. It’s said to be both highly effective and fast-acting. Read on to learn more about this technique and how it can be of benefit to you.

Cervical traction devices treat different types and causes of neck pain, tension, and tightness. Cervical traction helps to relax the muscles, which can significantly relieve pain and stiffness while increasing flexibility. It’s also used to treat and flatten bulging or herniated disks. It can alleviate pain from joints, sprains, and spasms. It’s also used to treat neck injuries, pinched nerves, and cervical spondylosis.

Cervical traction devices work by stretching the spinal vertebrae and muscles to relieve pressure and pain. Force or tension is used to stretch or pull the head away from the neck. Creating space between the vertebrae relieves compression and allows the muscles to relax. This lengthens or stretches the muscles and joints around the neck.

These improvements may lead to improved mobility, range of motion, and alignment. This will allow you to go about your daily activities with greater ease.

A 2017 meta-analysis of studies analyzed the effectiveness of cervical traction in relieving neck pain. This report found that the treatment significantly reduced neck pain immediately following treatment. Pain scores were also reduced in the follow-up period. More in-depth, high-quality studies are needed to learn more about the long-term effects of this treatment.

A 2014 study found that mechanical traction was effective in treating people with pinched nerves and neck pain. Mechanical traction was more effective than exercising alone or exercising in addition to using over-door traction.

There are several ways to do cervical traction, either with a physical therapist or on your own at home. Your physical therapist can help you to decide upon the best method to suit your needs.

Your physical therapist may recommend that you buy cervical traction equipment to use at home. Certain devices may require you to have a prescription. Cervical traction devices are available online and in medical supply stores. Your physical therapist should show you how to use the device properly before you use it on your own.

It’s important that you check in with your physical therapist even if you’re doing a home treatment. They’ll make sure you’re doing the best treatment, measure your progress, and adjust your therapy as necessary.

Manual cervical traction

Manual cervical traction is done by a physical therapist. While you’re lying down, they’ll gently pull your head away from your neck. They’ll hold this position for a period of time before releasing and repeating. Your physical therapist will make adjustments to your exact positioning in order to get the best results.

Mechanical cervical traction

Mechanical cervical traction is done by a physical therapist. A harness is attached to your head and neck as you’re lying flat on your back. The harness hooks up to a machine or system of weights that apply traction force to pull your head away from your neck and spine.

Over-the-door cervical traction

An over-the-door traction device is for home use. You attach your head and neck to a harness. This is connected to a rope that’s part of a weighted pulley system that goes over a door. This can be done while sitting, leaning back, or lying down.

Generally, it’s safe to perform cervical traction, but remember that results are different for everyone. The treatment should be totally pain-free.

It’s possible that you can experience side effects such as headache, dizziness, and nausea upon adjusting your body in this manner. This may even lead to fainting. Stop if you experience any of these side effects, and discuss them with your doctor or physical therapist.

It’s possible for you to injure your tissue, neck, or spine. You should avoid cervical traction if you have:

• rheumatoid arthritis
• postsurgery hardware such as screws in your neck
• a recent fracture or injury in the neck area
• a known tumor in the neck area
• a bone infection
• issues or blockages with vertebral or carotid arteries
• osteoporosis
• cervical instability
• spinal hypermobility

It’s important that you follow any safety instructions and recommendations provided by your doctor or by the manufacturer. Make sure you’re performing the movements correctly and using the appropriate amount of weight. Don’t overexert yourself by doing cervical traction for too long. Discontinue use if you experience any pain or irritation or if your symptoms get worse.

There are several exercises that can be done using cervical traction devices. Make sure to listen to your body and go to your own edge or threshold in terms of stretching and the duration of your exercises.

To use an air neck traction device, place it around your neck and adjust the straps as necessary. Then, pump it up and wear it for about 20–30 minutes. Do this a few times throughout the day. You can wear the device while doing activities where you tend to slouch.

To use an over-the-door neck traction device, you’ll usually you’ll start with about 10–20 pounds of pulling force, which can be increased as you gain strength. Your physical therapist can recommend the right amount of weight for you to use. Pull and hold the weight for 10–20 seconds and then slowly release. Continue this for 15–30 minutes at a time. You can do this a few times throughout the day.

A Posture Pump is used while you’re lying down. Do a warm-up before using this device. Slowly turn the head side-to-side, then forward and backward, and then lean the neck from side-to-side. Do each exercise 10 times. Then, attach the portable device to your head and increase the pressure so it tightens around your forehead. Once it’s pumped, wait 10 seconds before releasing the air. Do this 15 times. Then inflate the unit and relax in a comfortable position for up to 15 minutes. Make sure you’re not pumping it too much, especially in the beginning. Once you release yourself from the pump, keep your head in line with your spine as you come into a standing position. Repeat the warm-up routine.

You may also wish to incorporate stretching into your daily routine. You can use accessories such as exercise balls or resistance bands. Yoga is another great tool to relieve neck pain, and there are plenty of cervical traction exercises your physical therapist may be able to recommend that don’t require any equipment aside from a bed or table.

Cervical traction may be a safe, wonderfully effective way for you to resolve neck pain. It may provide you with numerous improvements to your body, inspiring you to do it often. Ideally it will be effective in relieving neck pain and enhancing your overall function.

Always talk to your doctor or physical therapist before beginning any treatment. Touch base with them throughout your therapy to discuss your improvements as well as any side effects. They can also help you to set up a treatment plan that addresses exactly what you need to correct.

Cervical traction: safe, painless, effective

The cervical spine in a modern person suffers more than others: sitting or standing work, a long time without changing the position of the head – all this provokes muscle spasms, followed by a violation of the normal blood supply to the intervertebral discs. The symptoms of this process are familiar to almost everyone: neck pain, headache, a feeling of tension, a characteristic violation of posture.

In the initial stages, the situation can be corrected with the help of massage and gymnastics. But if spasms have become commonplace, and degenerative changes have begun in the intervertebral discs, then it is necessary to resort to qualified medical care. One procedure you may be given is traction, or traction.

The traction procedure is designed to “straighten” deformed intervertebral discs and restore normal distance between the vertebrae. In addition, the infringement of the nerve roots is eliminated, due to which pain syndromes with protrusions and hernias disappear in two or three sessions. Neck traction is performed as follows:

• The patient sits at a special table, the tensile load is applied through the Glisson loop with weights suspended from the free end of the loop.
• The patient lies on an inclined couch (legs below the head), the head is fixed. Neck traction occurs either under the action of its own weight, or with the help of weights attached to the body.

Underwater cervical traction

In addition to the classic “dry” traction, underwater traction has recently become widespread: this type of traction is performed in water and is used for all parts of the spine, including the cervical. The extraction system is installed in a pool or a special bath. Warm water in itself eliminates muscle spasms and promotes relaxation, eliminates swelling, and reduces pain. The success of traction largely depends on how relaxed the longitudinal muscles of the back (neck) were, so the combined effect of hydrotherapy and traction proved to be the most effective. The advantages of underwater traction are especially noticeable when working with children, the elderly and people with limited mobility.

With underwater cervical traction, as with “dry”, the patient’s head is fixed in a special soft cloth loop. Being in warm water eliminates sharp shocks and spasms, the patient feels comfortable.

Automatic Neck Traction System Features and Benefits

Modern medical centers and sanatoriums are increasingly equipped with automatic traction systems with an electronic control unit. Their advantage lies not only in the precise regulation of force: such systems make it possible to set a dynamic load (tension-relaxation cycles). Management is exercised by means of the touch LCD display. Several individual programs can be stored in the system memory, which allows you to set parameters for a particular patient in two touches when passing a course of traction.

Underwater traction system “AIST” is a universal device, adjustable according to the patient’s height, which allows for all types of underwater traction, including cervical traction. The system is equipped with a function of wave-like force supply; the classic version of traction using weights suspended from the body can also be used. The electronic unit remembers up to 20 individual algorithms. Also, the unit has an emergency shutdown button, which the patient can use on their own in case of a sharp deterioration in the condition.

Back

Use of the Servico2000 Traction Device

Sometimes, the neck may be limited in the ability to tilt the head up and down or return it from side to side, this stiffness in the neck or even pain is a common cause of medical visits and in most cases caused by overload of the neck muscles. Neck pain can often develop from muscle tension caused by overloading the neck muscles, such as sitting in front of a computer monitor for a long time, driving for a long time, or even sleeping on a lot of pillows. Pain can result from years of erosion of the joints in the neck, a herniated disc, a bulging disc (protrusion), and so on. However, for severe pain associated with other symptoms, such as numbness or reduced arm strength, the symptoms may indicate a dangerous process, so it is recommended as soon as possible see a doctor .

In circumstances where pain is due to a ruptured cervical disc, the pain may also be accompanied by other symptoms, such as projection of pain in the shoulder, neck, between the shoulder blades or arms, often accompanied by numbness, arm muscle weakness, and even decreased sensation.

According to statistics, approximately 25% of cases of neck pain are caused by damage to the intervertebral disc through regular repeated exercise (for example, a sedentary lifestyle) or a single load (for example, a blow or fall). Degenerative changes, such as loss of fluid and flexibility, can lead to disc collapse and pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots. This pressure can cause localized pain such as shoulder blade pain, upper limb pain, and nerve conduction disturbances.

In most cases of neck pain, the diagnosis is based on examination and patient complaints. If there is a suspicion that the pain is caused by damage to the cervical structures, the doctor will refer the patient for x-rays, computed topography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRT). X-rays are performed in cases of suspected degenerative neck disease or a suspected fracture, while a computed topographic scan helps diagnose structural problems of the spine as well as adjacent tissues, and an MRI test is useful in detecting soft tissue damage.

Traction or cervical traction of the spine – a method of treating diseases of the spine by increasing the distance between the vertebrae.
The result is achieved by reducing the mechanical pressure on the nerve fibers. Lumbar traction of the spine allows you to extend the contracted muscle fiber, get rid of spasm, pain. The procedure improves blood circulation and normalizes metabolic processes in the bone, cartilage, nervous tissues of the spine and the muscular corset.

Device for cervical traction (traction) of the spine Serviko2000

Exercise machines for cervical traction of the spine or other areas act on the receptors of pathologically altered ligaments of the spine and muscles at the reflex level. During the procedure, the vertebrae and intervertebral discs are unloaded, pressure comes in the middle of the disc space, edema and decompression of the nerve roots are eliminated.

Cervico2000 is a traction device for the treatment of acute and chronic neck pain based on a 3D traction treatment approach. Servico2000 actively promotes the healing of disorders by decompressing the cervical spine, reducing pain from injuries like herniated discs and torticollis. SERVIK differentiates itself from traditional neck brace and fixed devices by offering a stand-alone solution that can be customized according to the needs of the patient. A key feature of the Servico2000 is the ability to perform both symmetrical and asymmetric extractions of the cervical spine.

INDICATIONS:

• Neck pain like
the result of discogenic disorders, or osteoarthritis, or degenerative changes in the cervical spine.

• A belt injury, usually as a result of a traffic accident (injury that did not result in broken or displaced bones).

BENEFITS OF USING CERVICO 2000

– three-dimensional spinal decompression

– asymmetric spinal traction.

– promotes healing by dosed overload of the cervical spine according to specific needs.