How Cervical Traction Helps With Neck Pain (2024)

Cervical traction is a procedure performed manually or with a device to create space and reduce pressure between the spinal bones (vertebrae) of your neck. It can be used to treat temporary injuries or chronic (long-term) conditions like a neck fracture, degenerative disc disease, or cervical radiculopathy (pain caused by a pinched nerve in the neck).

While generally safe, cervical traction may not be appropriate if you have certain underlying health conditions or claustrophobia. It is performed by a healthcare provider or physical therapist, but there are also at-home devices that allow you to treat yourself.

This article explains what cervical traction is and how it is performed. It also describes conditions cervical traction can treat as well as the possible risks of the procedure.

What Is Neck Traction?

Neck traction is used for conditions affecting the cervical spine. The cervical spine consists of seven bones in the neck (C1 to C7 vertebrae) separated by discs made of cartilage.

Cervical traction gently pulls the neck to create space between vertebrae to not only treat certain conditions but to diagnose them as well.

Cervical traction is not used to treat conditions affecting the thoracic spine (located in the upper and middle back) or the lumbar spine (located in the lower spine).

Cervical traction is commonly performed by physical therapists or medical specialists like orthopedists but can also be performed at home with devices you can purchase online or in medical equipment stores.

Manual Traction

Manual cervical traction is performed by a healthcare provider or physical therapist. It involves intermittently stretching the neck with hands. It is often for diagnostic purposes but can also be used to achieve pain relief and improved mobility during physical therapy.

Manual cervical traction is performed while you are lying down. The practitioner will take your head and neck in their hands and pull with gentle force, holding the position for 10 to 20 seconds before releasing it. This can be done several times.

When used for diagnosis, the practitioner will move your head and neck in different positions, tilting or rotating it to check for pain, clicking sounds, or the reduced range of motion.

Mechanical Traction

Mechanical cervical traction involves devices. There are long-term devices that can be worn to aid with healing following a spinal injury or surgery. There are also short-term devices used in physical therapy to gradually improve joint mobility and pain.

Unlike manual traction which involves intermittent pressure, mechanical traction applies stable, continuous pressure.

There are two devices commonly used for mechanical traction:

Halo Traction

Halo traction can be used to immobilize the cervical spine following an injury or to aid with recovery during rehabilitation.

The device involves a circular metal band, called a halo, which is held in place around the forehead with two sharp pins that are screwed into a superficial layer of your skull. The pins can be attached with rods to a shoulder harness to keep the neck stable.

The pins can also be attached to a levered system of weights to gently stretch the neck while lying down during physical therapy. There are also systems that enable gentle stretching while seated.

Over-the-Door Traction

This is a simple and more practical way of applying cervical traction that can be used during physical therapy or at home.

The device involves a flexible harness that fits under the chin and the back of your head. Two rings are the top of the harness are connected to a pulley system of ropes over a door. Weights are attached to the end of the rope to apply gentle pressure. Treatments typically last 10 to 20 minutes.

Physical therapists often have integrated devices that consist of a chair and an apparatus with a mechanical system of pulleys.

Benefits of Neck Traction

Cervical traction is easy to perform and, when used properly, can deliver symptom relief and speed healing following acute or chronic conditions affecting your neck.

Benefits of cervical traction include:

• Reduced pain, including reduced neuropathic pain
• Reduced neck stiffness
• Improved strength and range of motion

A 2021 study in PLoS One reported that intensive neck traction (performed twice daily for 30 minutes over three months) reduced neck pain, stiffness, neuropathic pain, and the use of pain medications in 48% of patients.

Treatment for Injuries and Minor Conditions

Cervical traction is sometimes used to treat acute neck injuries and other minor condtions affecting the neck, including:

• Severe neck strain: A tear of muscle or tendon in the neck following a fall or injury
• Cervical compression fracture: A type of bone fracture common in older people that causes your vertebrae to collapse
• Cervical radiculopathy: Radiating nerve pain caused by a pinched nerve in the cervical spine
• Myofascial neck pain: Radiating pain caused by pressure on sensitive points in the muscles of the neck

Treatment for Chronic Conditions

Cervical traction can be used for a wide range of chronic conditions affecting the cervical spine, either on its own or with other treatments.

Examples include:

• Degenerative disc disease: The progressive breakdown of the cartilage discs that support and cushion the vertebrae
• Traumatic spine fractures: Including fractures caused by a fall, blow to the neck, or an automobile accident
• Facet joint dislocation: The displacement of the joints between vertebrae due to an injury or conditions like spinal arthritis
• Cervical spondylosis: A general term for aging-related wear and tear affecting the spinal discs in your neck
• Spinal stenosis: The narrowing of space within the spine that houses the spinal cord, or the narrowing of space where spinal roots exit the vertebrae
• Scoliosis or lordosis: The abnormal curvature of the spine, either side to side (scoliosis) or back to front (lordosis)

Other Ways to Relieve Neck and Back Pain

Cervical traction can be beneficial to any number of acute or chronic neck conditions. But, there are other treatments that can be equally beneficial, either on their own or in combination.

These include:

• Rest with immobilization: Including the use of a neck brace or cervical collar
• Ice application: Used to reduce acute pain and swelling with 10- to 15-minute applications of a cold compress or a towel moistened in ice water
• Heat application: Used to reduce neck stiffness and improve circulation with 10- to 15-minute applications of a heating pad or moist, warm towel
• Over-the-counter painkillers: Like Tylenol (acetaminophen) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Advil (ibuprofen) or Aleve (naproxen)
• Gentle stretching; Including exercises like head tilts, shoulder circles, and neural flossing to reduce stiffness and improve neck mobility
• Improving your posture: Also known as postural correction

Risks of Neck Traction

The main risk of cervical traction is improper use. Applying too much pressure or applying pressure for too long can cause more harm than good, leading to muscle strain, increased pain and inflammation, and disc herniation (bulging discs).

Moreover, there are certain people who should not undergo cervical traction, including those with:

• Osteoporosis (porous bones)
• Pregnancy
• Spinal fusion surgery
• Aortic aneurysm (bulging of the body's largest blood vessel)
• Osteomyelitis (bone infection)
• Spinal cord tumors
• Untreated hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Active peptic ulcer disease
• Hernias (including hiatal hernia and umbilical hernia)
• Severe anxiety
• Claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces)
  

When to Contact Your Healthcare Provider

If you are undergoing cervical traction or are treating yourself at home, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of potential injuries. Symptoms can sometimes develop immediately or days after treatment.

Seek immediate medical care if you have cervical traction and experience:

• Worsening neck pain
• Inability to move the neck
• Severe headaches
• Numbness in the shoulder, arm, or hand
• Changes in hearing
• Muscle weakness or tremors
• Visual disturbances, including flashing light

Call 911 or seek emergency care if you experience hearing or vision loss, changes in consciousness, seizures, or fainting.

Summary

Cervical traction is a procedure used to gently stretch the cervical spine to relieve pain, improve mobility, and aid with healing. It may involve manual traction or mechanical traction to treat everything from neck strain and compression fractures to degenerative disc disease and scoliosis.

Cervical traction is typically performed by a healthcare provider and physical therapist, but there are also devices you can purchase and use at home. To avoid injury, speak with a healthcare provider to ensure you use such devices correctly.