Many people get traction in a therapist’s office or do it at home. One type of traction is where the neck is basically just stretched. The other one is where you stretch but it also helps restore the curvature of the neck.
On the neck there should be a 40-60 degrees C curvature. This is the best position for the neck spine because it leaves the spinal cord relaxed and all the nerves can exit the back of the spine without pressure or interference.
True neck traction is traction aimed at restoring 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 “air pull” or “pull over the door.” This is where some type of harness is attached to your neck or head and there is a weight on the other end of the harness (usually over 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 a misalignment gold subluxation of the spine Any misalignment or subluxation puts pressure on the nerves. Even a small misalignment can kill 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 with pain and discomfort most of the time, but also by people who show no symptoms of neck pain or discomfort and the like.
single lateral x-ray of someone’s neck can show us what the curve of their neck looks like. Otherwise, looking at one’s posture from the side can tell us a lot. The middle of the ear should roughly line up with the middle of the shoulder. A vertical line must be able to be drawn between these two points.
If it doesn’t line up, then it’s another case of the dreaded “forward head posture.” If that head is jutting forward, there is a high chance that some of the proper curvature and alignment of the neck is being lost.
A day of computer work 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 sacked, hit from behind as he was about to throw. His back arches back, his neck arches back, when he is struck at torso level. His body is then thrown forward as the tackler’s momentum and force moves in that direction. His neck whips back, forward, and then back as he hits the ground (“whiplash”). So, the quarterback’s spine was completely twisted, but he gets up, shakes off, and his spine snaps back into place.
The body is petty amazing! Many times it will align again. Sometimes, however, the spine does not go back into place and now we have a misalignment. This can be from a single vertebra (back bone) or, more often, a group of segments or vertebrae of the spinal column.
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 being hit from behind by a hard tackle in your car. And it doesn’t always take a lot of force at all really. Loss of neck curvature can also be due to poor postural 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 and stressful trips, to give a few examples.
This is the reason why traction is used so often now. It is the best way to restore neck alignment to what it should be. Curvature correction takes pressure off nerves, reduces inflammation, and relaxes muscles. Neck traction not only helps people who have had neck trauma and clearly have severe neck pain, it also helps prevent unwanted neck problems from arising.