Cervical Pain - How Traction Can Help In Curing It?

The neck comprises of vertebrae that extend from the skull to the upper torso. The bones, ligaments, and muscles of your neck support your head and are responsible for the range of motion. Many factors such as abnormalities or inflammation, or injury can cause neck pain or stiffness, and hence most of us would experience neck pain or stiffness occasionally. Do slow range of motion exercises by moving the neck up and down, side to side, and from ear to ear regularly as these can help.

Neck traction can either be done intermittently, continuously or by alternating between short periods of pulling and resting. It s also possible to do cervical traction at home. There are ready to use devices available which can be purchased upon prescription. If you observe the pain to increase while using the device discontinue use and report to your physician.

Traction can serve to reduce compressive forces on the neck. It alleviates pressure on the discs and additionally opens the spaces between the vertebrae to relieve pressure on any compressed nerves. Likewise, traction can be used to reduce pain felt in muscles and joint structures in the neck, which can be caused by herniated discs in the neck, tension, neck strains, cervical muscle spasms, neck arthritis, poor posture, and leisure activities such as cycling. In case of acute pain you can apply an ice pack to gain relief.

If you are undergoing pain from the center or side of your neck or in the blade region of the shoulder, traction could well be helpful to you. Various factors can create upper back pain and neck pain, and it s necessary to find out the particular cause before treating it. If you have difficulties in your neck, it can often be felt as numbness, pain or tingling in your arm or hand due to stress on the nerve root in the neck. This is something to be aware of when having your ailment diagnosed. When you experience such pain, it is advisable to visit an Orthopaedic surgeon.