Why Use Cervical Traction?

Ever have neck pain that just will not go away? If you have chronic neck pain or pain in your arm stemming from your neck, your physical therapist might recommend you try cervical traction exercises. Cervical traction exercises gently stretch your neck and separate the disc and joint surfaces. An exercise like this might sound scary and painful at first glance, however it actually has a lot of benefits.

Often times neck pain can severely limit your ability to turn your head or perform everyday activities like sleeping or exercising. Treatment of your cervical spine, also known as your neck, is a popular option for treating acute and chronic neck pain. Cervical traction can help stretch the neck muscles and decrease the compressive forces in the neck. In other words, this action takes pressure off the vertebrae discs by pulling your head away from your neck. This form of neck treatment has been proven to be highly effective and fast-acting. It’s a great alternative to other neck pain treatments such as medication or surgery.

Cervical traction can be used in a variety of different ways depending on the purpose. It can commonly treat people with neck strains, neck arthritis, cervical muscle spasms, radiculopathy as well as herniated or bulging discs in the neck. To treat these forms of neck pain, your physical therapists will either opt for manual, mechanical, or over-the-door traction. All of which will relax the neck muscles, relieving pain and stiffness, while also significantly increasing flexibility. With continued use of cervical traction exercises you can go about your daily activities with improved mobility and range of motion.

Practicing cervical traction exercises is a great alternate form of treatment for neck pain. It can be used as part of a physical therapy treatment regimen or in the comfort of your own home. When considering cervical traction for your neck pain, it is important to speak with your physical therapist to be sure that this treatment is right for you.

For more information on cervical traction, click here.

Article written by William Graves.