What is cervical traction?
Cervical traction is a treatment for neck pain that involves lightly pulling on your head to create space between the bones in your neck (your cervical vertebrae). You might see it referred to as spinal traction.
Cervical traction can be done either by your healthcare provider or by yourself at home. It can be done manually (by hand) or with a cervical traction device. No matter how it’s applied, cervical traction creates additional space between the vertebrae in your neck to reduce pressure and tension. It’s used to relieve symptoms like pain from a variety of conditions and issues.
Segments of the spine
Your spine is divided into three main sections:
- Cervical spine: Your neck.
- Thoracic spine: The section of your spine in your upper back that runs from the bottom of your neck to the bottom of your ribs.
- Lumbar spine: Your lower back
Cervical traction gently pulls apart the vertebrae in your cervical spine.
What does cervical traction treat?
Cervical traction is used to treat lots of conditions that cause neck and back pain. In addition to treating conditions that affect your vertebrae, it can treat issues with nerves and muscles around your spine, too.
Cervical traction can be used to treat temporary conditions, including:
- Radiculopathy or other pinched nerves.
- Neck sprains.
- Fractured spine.
Your healthcare provider might use cervical traction to treat longer-term issues that develop over time, including:
- Spinal stenosis.
- Degenerative disk disease.
- Cervical spondylosis.
- Scoliosis.