Does traction help back pain?

Asked by: Monica Meyer

The results of spinal traction include pain relief, proper spinal alignment, and decompressed joints. Spinal traction stretches the muscles and bones in the back to combat the effects of gravity. Under the right circumstances, this could significantly improve the way you move and feel throughout the day.

Does traction work for lower back pain?

In brief. Based on current evidence, traction as a single treatment is not effective for patients with low-back pain, with or without sciatica.

Why does traction help back pain?

Lumbar (low back) traction helps to separate the spaces between your vertebrae, the bones that make up your spine. In theory, slightly separating these bones can help take the pressure off pinched nerves (such as the sciatic nerve) to decrease your pain and improve your mobility.

How long does it take for lumbar traction to work?

Cohort studies suggest that the condition of many patients with a herniated lumbar disk improves in 6 weeks. In other words a conservative therapy is generally recommended for 6 weeks in the absence of a major neurologic deficit.

Can traction be harmful?

Spinal Traction Side Effects



Spinal traction does not have many associated side effects. But adverse effects can occur—and may include injury to tissue, nausea, fainting, or headache.

Can traction make back pain worse?

Spinal traction can sometimes cause pain that is worse than the original condition. Those with osteoporosis and certain types of cancer should not use traction therapy. Spinal traction is known to cause muscle spasms.

Do chiropractors do traction?

With manual traction, the chiropractor applies gentle manual pressure and tension (i.e., traction) to the patient’s limbs and head to stretch the muscles and skeleton, and can even use the patient’s own weight to provide additional traction, a technique known as inversion therapy.

Can traction fix a bulging disc?

Any back pain or neck pain caused in whole or in part by a damaged disc may be helped by spinal Decompression Traction Therapy. These conditions include herniated, protruding or bulging discs, spinal stenosis, sciatica or radiculopathy (pinched nerves).

Is it good to decompress your spine?

Be it a herniated disc or a disc injury due to any degenerative disease, spinal decompression is beneficial for all these problems. This is because it increases the blood circulation to the spine and helps the dislocated spines to regain back their original position.

How often should you do lumbar traction?

For conditions requiring separation of the intervertebral spaces for a therapeutic effect, a relatively high force (40-50% of the body weight) and low treatment times (8-12 minutes) are recommended. The general rule is: The higher the force, the lower the treatment time. We rarely use traction for more than 20 minutes.

Is spinal decompression the same as traction?

The good news is both terms can be used almost interchangeably. Traction is defined as the act of pulling or a state of being pulled. Decompression, on the other hand, is defined as the act of relieving pressure.

How can I do traction at home?

Into the lower back hold this for 30 seconds. If you're able to relax. And then repeat it three to five times it should help relieve a lot of pressure into the lower back so give it a try.