Home Neck Traction For Neck Pain Relief

This article reports on 36 patients with neck pain, treated with the home neck traction device - an inflatable device widely used with many reports of clinical improvement.

66 individuals reporting neck pain with or without headaches or arm pain were screened. 30 were dropped because they either had no significant neck x-ray abnormalities or very advanced degenerative changes where the vertebrae were fused. 26 were females and 10 were males ranging from 18 to 65 years of age.

Excluded from the study were: previous neck surgery, spinal injury within the previous 6 months, individuals with pacemakers or implanted electronic devices, individuals with major medical illnesses and pregnancy.

After initial history, physical and neurological exam and complete x-rays of the neck. All 36 individuals had significant posture and/or degenerative disc changes.

They then underwent measurements of range of motions, pain intensity ratings, MRI of the neck, a 20 minute treatment with the home neck traction device and another MRI immediately after the treatment.

All 36 were given a home neck traction device to use and advised to use it 3 to 5 times per week at home. After one month, all individuals were contacted by phone for follow-up evaluation of pain intensity, frequency of usage and comments.


Before: Notice a backward buckle in the neck (large arrow), disc bulges or protrusions into the spinal cord space (arrows), disc compression and dehydration especially with the backward buckle shown as flattening of disc space and stair stepping at 5/6.	During: Notice reversal of backward buckle (large arrow), disc bulges or protrusions receded from 3-6 and have dramatically expanded, appearing thicker, lighter and rehydrated and stair stepping reduction. The arrow points to the disc that is out of range of traction and remains protruded.

Results after one 20 minute treatment:

On the initial MRIs the following changes were noted in 34 patients. (Two patients had technically inadequate MRIs because of movement).
1 or more decreased disc bulges	20
Increased disc hydration	16
Decreased spinal cord indentation	7
Increased neck curve	6
Sress alignment changes	3
Vertebrae stair stepping changes	2
No visible changes	2

Of the 33 contacted, 6 had not used the home neck traction for various reasons "mainly too busy". Of the 24 who reported benefit:

Average pain decreased from 5 out of 10 to 2.2 out of 10, or a 56% decrease in pain.

Initial flexion (forward neck motion) range of motion increased an average of 6 degrees and extension (backward neck motion) an average of 10 degrees.

All but 2 patients showed immediate improvement in some posture or vertebral/disc abnormality after undergoing only one 20 minute session with the home neck traction. Seven of the patients had 1 month follow-up MRIs which showed:

1mm spinal widening of the canal in 4 individuals. One of these showed disc resorption and desreased spinal cord pressure at 5/6.

Improvement of neck curve in 6 individuals. One of these showed excellent improvement of neck curve posture, as well as joint expansion in the front and back during inflation.

Overall, this study suggests that protruded discs can be drawn in as the disc expands during traction and supports the concept of reduced disc pressure with expansion and inflation with the home neck traction.

As the disc expands and protruding material is drawn in, discs have a lighter color on MRI suggesting increased fluid or hydration. Curve shaping and disc hydration can occur simultaneously during home neck traction application.

Using the home neck traction, clinical and radiological improvement was noted in most individuals. There were no adverse effects.