What is cervical traction?

Traction is a natural modality that affords your spine the opportunity to decompress at whatever level tension is accumulating. With cervical traction, we focus on releasing tension from neck muscles and alleviating the pinched nerves which cause so much stiffness and pain. At our office in Alameda, we use specialized tables to gently stretch the spine and provide a targeted decompressive effect. But you can reproduce a similar effect on a daily basis- if you find that you consistently leave work with a sore, stiff neck, then cervical traction should be the first thing you do when you get home. 

 How does cervical traction work?

Traction seeks to elongate the cervical section of the spine by stretching the muscles and ligaments surrounding the vertebrae and expanding the space between them. Start by warming up your neck muscles so that they are receptive to the traction that will follow:

• Sit upright in neutral posture and practice relaxing and letting go of all the tension in your shoulders.
• Roll them up and down then gently move your neck from side to the other, looking over your shoulder if possible. 
• Next, get a foam roller and lay on the floor.
• Place the foam roller at the base of your skull and gently roll your head from side to side.
• Breathing deeply, allow the foam roller to provide the decompression effect you need.

Being proactive about neck pain starts with paying a visit to your Alameda chiropractor

Chronic neck stiffness and pain is a sign that something is wrong. Unfortunately, our modern lifestyles leave us little time to address the symptoms, much less the actual cause. If you have reached the end of your patience with neck pain and stiffness, give our office a call to schedule an appointment today. We can help you develop a multi-dimensional action plan that incorporates cervical traction, stretching and strengthening to help restore your neck to a state of health and balance.