Cervical Home Traction Information

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.

Function

• Cervical traction releases nerve compression and eases muscle spasms by gently stretching the spine's connective tissues. Relief can last from a few hours to several days after each traction treatment.

Weights and Pulleys

• Some traction units have rope-and-pulley assemblies that hang from doors, using a water-filled bag as weight. Rope connects the weight to a chinstrap through the pulley.

Therapeutic Pillows

• Pillows with air cylinders and handheld air pumps or unique shapes support the neck, creating stretch while you lie on the floor, couch or bed.

Inversion Therapy

• According to the Mayo Clinic, inversion tables raise the feet, allowing gravitational pull in a direction opposite that of normal standing. Inversion tables provide therapeutic stretching, relieving nerve compression and neck pain.

Frequency

• Your physical therapist helps you organize your treatment schedule. Avoid feeling rushed or annoyed during your cervical traction treatments by rearranging your daily schedule and allowing an uninterrupted 30 minutes before and after each treatment.