Neck Traction: The Best Cervical Traction Devices to Ease Neck Pain

Neck pain affects 30%-50% of adults in the United States, which if thought about in depth, is quite a large number! Potentially HALF of the people that you know may be suffering from some kind of neck pain. Not only is the prevalence of neck pain quite high, but somewhere between 50%-85% of people with neck pain do not achieve full recovery of symptoms (2). These people may go on to experience chronic neck pain that may limit working, sleeping, and daily activities such as lifting. Try to drive, lift, reach, or work at a computer with neck pain, it’s difficult. One of the best ways to help with neck pain at home in the short term is Cervical Traction.

Name	Price	Best Feature	Our rating	Best Price
Comfortrac Deluxe Traction Kit	$$$	One of the best overall, excellent results and easy to use.	9.6/10	See Current Price
Everyway4All Evertrac Neck Traction	$$$	Best overall model for serious neck problems.	9.7/10	See Current Price
Gideon Cervical Neck Traction	$	Least expensive and you can move around with it on your neck	8.6/10	See Current Price
OTC Cervical Traction Kit	$	Inexpensive and works in a comfortable sitting position	9.4/10	See Current Price
The Original Neck Hammock	$	Inexpensive and effective. We love the portability	9.5/10	See Current Price

What is Cervical Traction

Cervical traction is a light stretching of the neck performed either mechanically or manually by another person. Within the cervical spine there are seven vertebrae that have soft shock absorbing discs separating the bony vertebrae. On the backside of the vertebrae are also small joints called Facet Joints that help load bear and maintain stability of the head and neck. The spinal vertebrae are then surrounded by many layers of muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The primary role of the cervical spine is to protect the spinal cord at all costs.

Cervical traction, whether it be manual or mechanical, may also be warranted to help with Cervical Radiculopathy. Cervical Radiculopathy is described as pain and neurological symptoms that extend from the neck into the upper extremities. When a nerve that exits the cervical spine becomes impacted, encroached on, or simply even irritated it may cause pain and symptoms in the area of innervation. This means that an injury in the neck may cause pain or symptoms down the arm. When the nerve is irritated, one of the simplest ways to provide relief is to give the nerve more space and reduce the pressure on it. This is achieved from traction.

How Does Cervical Traction Help

Not only does neck traction decrease pain, but cervical traction increases the space between vertebrae, lightly stretches muscles and ligaments, increases movement of cervical joints (3) widens intervertebral foramina or area where the nerve exits (4), may decrease pressure on injured tissue, relaxes muscle guarding and spasm, changes intervertebral disc pressures, and tenses the posterior longitudinal ligament which is the primary posterior support in the spinal canal (5). Different types of neck pain and potential causes of cervical radiculopathy

* Cervical traction is only part of the treatment! You will likely also need to exercise, stretch, strengthen, and perform a home program in addition to any pain relief achieved through traction.

See our helpful guide on managing neck pain home by clicking here.

What are the Side Effects of Cervical Traction

Cervical traction can be dangerous if not used properly. Before using a traction device please contact a health-care professional or physical therapist to properly be screened. Use the device only as intended and specified in the manual. Never modify the units and alert the manufacturers if there are any malfunctions.

When using cervical traction it is always best to start with less weight and pull. Then gradually increase the pressure as tolerated. It is not uncommon for users to use too much pressure initially and induce a negative effect.

Potential Side Effects of Spinal Traction:

Muscle soreness immediately or hours after
Potential difficulty rotating head
Potential increase in symptoms
Potential increase in muscle spasms
May cause a headache
Contact a health-care provider if any symptoms last longer than 72 hours after use or continue to worsen

FAQ for Neck Traction

How Long Should I do Neck Traction?

Depending on how flared-up the neck is you can use it as little as 5 minutes on low to 20-30 minutes on moderate pressure. The most important thing is to make sure that the stretch isn’t so great that your muscles are guarding during the treatment.

How Often Should Use Cervical Traction?

You can perform cervical traction multiple times a day if needed. If you have severe chronic neck pain we recommend using daily for about 20-30 minutes either early in the morning or before going to bed.

Can Neck Traction Cause Nerve Damage or Dizziness?

No, not likely. If you do experience symptoms down into the arms after using cervical traction then you likely only irritated a nerve or disc that was already injured. There isn’t enough force or trauma to cause a new injury.

In terms of causing dizziness, it can cause temporary dizziness but this is rare. By stretching nerves and muscles there is a potential. One more likely cause of causing dizziness is getting in/out of the traction unit with changing your head position.

Is Neck Traction Painful?

It should not be painful during or after cervical traction. The purpose of traction is provide pain relief and relieve pressure on the spine. If it hurts then check to make sure you are using the traction device correctly.

How to Use Mechanical Neck Traction

The Best Cervical Traction Devices

Best Classic Cervical Traction: ComforTrac Deluxe Cervical Traction Kit

Summary: The ComforTrac Cervical Traction Unit is one of the best overall value traction units. Easy to use, comfortable, and durable in construction. Comes with a push-of-a-button quick release pump, a maximum of 50 pounds of force, and contouring memory foam headrest that cradles the head while independently adjustable neck wedge.The ComforTrac Cervical Traction Unit has an adjustable incline of 10, 15 and 20 degrees to target different areas of the neck. Also comes with a lightweight durable carry-case.

The ComforTrac has been rigorously tested for 15,000 cycles which equals using 3 times daily for 15 years.