Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Cervical Traction Device (Cervical Traction)

Cervical Traction

The Cervical Traction Device may be used for the relief of neck pain associated with cervical disc herniation, spondylosis, osteoarthritis, cervical radiculopathy, neck strain, pinched nerve in upper spine with associated pain radiating down upper extremities, tension and/or tightness (muscle spasm) in muscles of the upper back, shoulders and neck, fibromyalgia, whiplash, insomnia and tension headaches associated with tension in the aforementioned musculature.

There are many cervical traction devices you can find on the Internet. Some cost as low as $60, while others can have world class (aka expensive) prices. Most traction devices today are portable. Manufacturers are creating these products to complement mobile and busy lifestyles. Portability means you can bring your traction device wherever you go, and you can always keep it under the bed after your traction session.

Cervical Traction

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Effectiveness of Cervical Traction (Cervical Traction)

Cervical Traction

The effectiveness of cervical traction primarily depends on three major factors: the strength of pressure applied on affected areas, the direction of traction force, and the duration and frequency of therapy sessions. It is important to let licensed medical practitioners provide the appropriate instructions and details of treatment using cervical traction procedure.

A. Strength of Pressure

As a basic principle, the application of force to the cervical discs should not be too forceful. That’s because the inter-vertebral cervical discs are small and relatively unstable. So, at first application, the patient should properly determine the strength of force needed to alleviate pain.

If the minimum application of force does not mitigate the pain in the affected areas, it must be adjusted until the proper strength is achieved. Needless to say, application of pressure and determination of appropriate force should be carried out gradually. This is to minimize adverse effects and to maximize the benefits of cervical traction procedure.

B. The Direction of Traction

Constant cervical joint spasms can be felt especially if the patient is suffering from neck pains. The spasm is mainly due to cervical spine extension, thus increasing root irritation. The normal reaction to this is to flex the spine vertically to relieve the extension of the cervical spine. The result is distraction of the spaces of the cervical spine and correction of posture, thus relieving the pain.

This maneuver is the one being replicated by cervical traction procedure. By helping patients achieve proper spine posture and alignment, the pain is generally alleviated. That is why the direction of traction is critical to obtaining relief from cervical spine misalignment. Normally, patients are directed to sit straight while traction is applied vertically through a pulling motion.

C. Duration and Frequency of Therapy

Again, the duration and frequency of cervical traction procedure will primarily depend on its result. If the patient cannot be relieved through short traction time, application may be extended until relief is achieved.

Cervical traction therapy should be frequent especially during the first stages of treatment. Sessions can be reduced if episodes of cervical spine pains become more infrequent. Later, traction may be used as needed only, or it can be discontinued if spinal pain does not reoccur.

Cervical Traction

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Cervical Traction is a Solution For Neck Pain (Cervical Traction)

Cervical Traction

Neck pains can be very annoying. However, in severe cases, it can be immobilizing and certainly affect your everyday activities. To understand and appreciate treatment, you need to know the causes of neck pain. This way, you will know if the healing benefits of cervical traction can help you.

Neck pains and cervical tractions are inseparable. For many years, doctors have used traction therapy to treat neck pains. It is a non-invasive and conservative technique that can solve neck muscle and bone structure disorders.

The most common cause of neck pain is everyday stress and tension. If you are under constant stress, your muscles may tighten, making it stiff and painful. You may have slept in the wrong position, which can cause a stiff neck. When you sit in front of your computer for extended periods, you may also experience stiffness and numbness of the neck muscles.

Your lifestyle can also cause neck pains. You may have developed an improper posture, or you may have gained too much weight. These could stress your spine, thus leading to neck and back pains.

Too much exercise, sports, and other physical activities can also put your spine under severe stress, thus giving you a nasty neck pain and muscle fatigue.

Other causes of neck pains are related to age. As you grow old, certain disorders may develop, which can have a direct impact on your neck muscles and cervical spine. These disorders include osteoarthritis, chronic disc diseases, and spinal stenosis.

Neck pains can also be caused by accidents or injuries. When your head experiences sudden traumatic movement, the resulting rebound may cause neck injuries. This is commonly known as whiplash. The whipping motion of your head can jar every strand of muscle that supports your neck. It can also dislocate or misalign the bone structure in your neck. The result naturally is constant neck pain.

To alleviate pain and correct bone structure misalignment, cervical traction can be applied. Cervical traction involves the use of a device that will attempt to pull your spine upwards to create spaces between your cervical discs. This is also known as disc distraction. Therapy using this method can correct the alignment of the spine, thus restoring proper posture and releasing tension in the spinal column.

Traction can also stretch the muscles. The flexion of muscles releases built up tension around the nerves, thus mitigating another source of pain.

Although more studies and research are needed, there is clinical evidence that clearly shows the efficacy of cervical traction in eliminating painful episodes of the neck. This is especially true for mild cases of neck pain and injuries. For more serious cases, prolonged cervical traction therapy and additional orthopedic intervention may be needed to achieve compete treatment.

Indeed, the healing benefits of cervical traction can solve many cases of neck pains. It can be used as an active therapeutic method or as a regular muscle and bone structure exercise to maintain the optimum condition of the spinal column.

Cervical Traction

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What is Cervical Traction? (Cervical Traction)

Cervical Traction

Cervical traction is a simple chiropractic procedure used to correct the alignment of the entire spinal column. It is considered a conservative therapeutic method of chiropractic medicine. The advantage of this kind of procedure is that it can be done at home, without direct supervision of a health practitioner.

Indications and Contraindications of Cervical Traction

Cervical traction is indicated for the diseases of cervical disc, osteoarthritis, and for accelerated extension damages as long as there are no post-traumatic lesions.

For cervical disc disorders, traction can be used with or without root inflammations. For back bone disorders without extensive neurological effects, this procedure should be applied conservatively. It is also indicated for most neck injuries that resulted from traumatic motions.

The procedure of cervical traction is generally safe, and there are no reported major hazards concerning the use of traction devices. However, it is contraindicated for cases wherein patients have not undergone thorough orthopedic, neurological, and radiological examinations.

Cervical traction is not recommended for neo-plastic disorders, cervical spine injuries having serious post-traumatic lesions, or for patients experiencing serious cervicobrachial discomforts mostly associated with gross neurological deficit.

Cervical Traction

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Cervical Traction Review (Cervical Traction)

Cervical traction

Cervical traction can be an invaluable aid in treating neck disorders caused by conditions such as muscle spasm, nerve root compression, degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis, cervical spondylosis, myofascial syndrome and facet joint dysfunction. Cervical traction is used to apply a stretch to muscles, ligaments, and tissue components of the cervical spine. By promoting separation of the intervertabral joint space, cervical traction provides much needed relief.

Cervical traction is administered by various techniques ranging from supine mechanical motorized cervical traction to seated cervical traction using an over-the-door pulley support with attached weights. Duration of cervical traction can range from a few minutes to 20 to 30 min, once or twice weekly to several times per day. Anecdotal evidence suggests efficacy and safety, but there is no documentation of efficacy of cervical traction beyond short-term pain reduction. Because of a clinical impression that a simplified, inexpensive, over-the-door home cervical traction method of treatment requiring 5 min of cervical traction twice daily was efficacious for both cervical pain and radiculopathic syndromes, we undertook a retrospective study of 58 outpatients treated between 1994 and 1996. Age range was 29 to 84 (mean, 56) yr.

The cervical traction group was divided into a non-extraction group and an extraction of maxillary second molars group. Cervical traction was associated with a small distal positioning and anterior downward tipping of the maxilla during treatment.

Cervical traction

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