Knowing More About Spinal Traction for Back and Neck Pain

Pain management doctors in Oklahoma City widely recommend spinal traction as a treatment for lower back and neck pain. Although the exact mechanism is not yet precise, it is said to work by increasing the space between the vertebrae and inhabiting pain impulses. This is a distraction force that is applied to the cervical spine and lumbar spine, which in turn relieves any pressure on a sensitive structure that is in control of the pain. It also helps to increase spine mobility by relaxing all the muscles around the spine.

What Does Traction Do?

The decompressing feature of spinal traction can take off pressure from places that can produce pain in discs. If a disc is damaged, it creates tension which can cause pain in your neck, hand, arm, and back. A specific spinal condition like arthritis can narrow nerve and blood vessel openings. This, in turn, causes numbness, pain, tingling arms and legs, and swelling in your back and neck. This is why pain management doctors suggest this treatment relieves all kinds of neck and back pain.

How Does it Help?

Spinal traction helps when all other methods have failed and sometimes offers to provide a more rapid progression to rehabilitation. Some studies had shown that cervical radiculopathy had become better when traction was used as part of rehabilitation. This is because the process can straighten the spine and remove any kind of nerve or joint pressure from the blood vessel. It can even help with muscle spasms when the neck muscle gets sore from holding the head up in a poor position. Pain management doctors say that traction pillows can help restore the cervical curve. You can even get traction without being tied down to the machine by using back belts and inflammable collars. You can even keep doing your daily activity while using the following devices.

What are the Techniques of Traction?

There are generally two main techniques of traction: intermittent and static. When the pain management doctors give you the static traction, it is applied and kept for a period of time, usually 5 to 20 minutes, and then released. On the other hand, when intermittent traction is given, the force is applied and then released. This is then repeated several times for it to be effective. Intermittent traction can pump the disc, which helps the fluid and nutrients to transfer correctly. The older and more degenerated disc needs static traction, while the younger one can handle intermittent traction.

Visit the Professionals Today

Here at Oklahoma Pain Treatment Centers, we have an interdisciplinary approach to pain management. We comprehensively evaluate our patients, factoring in all their physical, emotional, and psychological needs.

**Disclaimer: These tips are not advised or suggested by doctors. The products that are promoted here are not FDA CERTIFIED to treat, cure or prevent any disease.