True Neck Traction – The Right Type of Neck Traction for Long-Term Pain Relief

Many people get traction in a therapist’s office or do traction at home. One type of traction is where the neck basically just stretches. The other is where you stretch but it also helps restore the curvature of the neck.

On the neck there must be a 40-60 degree Curvature C. This is the best position for the neck spine because it leaves the spinal cord relaxed and all nerves can travel out of the back of the spine without pressure or interference.

True neck traction is traction in which the goal is to restore cervical curvature because it can be a long-term solution to nerve pressure and neck problems such as pain and muscle tension.

Traction where the head is simply stretched is a short-term solution. Often the most common type is “overhead pull” or “over the door pull.” This is where a kind of harness is attached to your neck or head and there is a weight on the other end of the harness (usually on a door) that creates the pull. Sometimes it is done with small weights or a bag of water. This is similar to someone gently pulling your head up. Gives temporary relief.

By using true neck traction, you can get relief that will last much longer. It has been said that any loss of the normal curvature of the neck is classified as misalignment gold subluxation of the spine. Any misalignment or subluxation puts pressure on the nerves. Even a small misalignment can remove that nerve or the ability of those nerves to send the message from the brain to that particular part of the body.

This is the reason why neck traction is often used only by people who are suffering from pain and discomfort most of the time, but it is also used by people who do not show symptoms of neck pain or pain and the like.

Easy lateral x-ray someone’s neck can show us what the curve of their neck looks like. Otherwise, looking at the posture from the side can tell us a lot. The middle of the ear should line up roughly with the middle of the shoulder. It should be possible to draw a vertical line between these two points.

If it doesn’t line up, then it’s another case of the dreaded “forward head posture.” If that head sticks forward, there is a great chance that some of the proper curve and alignment of the neck will be lost.

A day of working on the computer or reading with your head down probably won’t change the curvature of your neck, but prolonged poor posture or a whiplash-type injury can.

Take the example of the football quarterback. The quarterback is caught, hit from behind as he was about to pitch. His back arches back, his neck arches back, as he is struck at torso level. Then his body lunges forward as the tackler’s momentum and strength moves in that direction. Your neck moves backward, forward, and then backward again when it hits the ground (“whiplash”). So the quarterback’s spine was completely contorted, but he gets up, brushes, and his spine goes back into place.

The body is insignificant! Most of the time it will line up again. Sometimes, however, the column does not return to its place and now we have a misalignment. It can be from a single vertebra (spine) or, more often, from a group of segments or vertebrae in the spine.

With loss of neck curve (cervical lordosis), there is often a group of segments that are misaligned. Again, this can happen through some type of trauma, such as a hard drive to get hit from behind in your car. And it doesn’t really always take a lot of force. Loss of neck curvature can also be due to poor posture habits over time. Things like working on a computer for several hours a day without a break; or continuous reading with head down; or long trips that are stressful, to give a few examples.

That is why traction is used so often now. It is the best way to restore the alignment of the neck to what it should be. Correcting the curvature requires pressure on the nerves, reduces inflammation, and relaxes the muscles. Neck traction It not only helps people who have had neck trauma and clearly have severe neck pain, but it also helps prevent unwanted neck problems from arising.