If you’re suffering from back pain, you can probably relate to how debilitating it can be. Just like chronic or acute pain in your neck or back, it can have a huge impact on your daily life as well as the overall quality of life.

This article will discuss the causes of both cervical and lower back pain and how to alleviate them with the use of decompression, also known as traction.

CAUSES OF NECK AND BACK PAIN

There are numerous causes for neck and back pain, including sleeping in the wrong position, which leads to a stiff neck, to a sports injury that results in a perforated disc. Some examples include herniated discs, scoliosis, ruptured disks, facet syndrome, myofascial pain, and fibromyalgia.

Poor Posture

Most of us aren’t perfect when it comes to posture. We spend between 8 and 10 hours per day at a desk, with a great deal of time in a phone, both of which can cause us to hunch forward over time. This can cause pain in your neck or upper back or even both.

Herniated Disc

Due to the injury, a disk can herniate or slip out of place, leading to sharp pain in the back and surrounding muscles and joints.

Muscle Strain

Even a slight injury of a muscle or the lower back can trigger chronic back pain. While these kinds of injuries typically heal quickly, they can still cause significant and uncomfortable pain.

Arthritis

Arthritis can give rise to inflammation and degeneration of joints throughout the body, particularly in the spine and back, which may lead to bone spurs around the vertebrae. Clearly, this can lead to a great deal of pain.

HOW DOES A TRACTION DEVICE WORK?

The goal of a traction device is to stretch the distance between vertebrae in the spine to create comfort and lessen pain. This may be accomplished by focusing on the neck, low back, or both depending on your needs. Many elect to use traction for these reasons, but also to choose tension reduction to alleviate migraines and jaw pain.

There are two main types of traction devices: cervical and lumbar. A cervical traction device focuses on the neck, whereas a lumbar traction device works on the lower back.

Traction devices and therapeutic techniques differ in type and function. Traction devices include mechanical massage tables and manually operated traction devices. These treatments can come from various sources, including physical therapists.

HOW TO USE A TRACTION DEVICE

To use a traditional traction unit at home, you will secure it to the area of remedy, either by positioning yourself into the apparatus, or securing it around your body. Once the device is secured, you will use either a hand pump or a traction button to inflate or expand the unit. The expansion will gently pull on your spinal column or neck to partially lift your spine, alleviating any tension.

Watch it here: How to Use the Saunders Cervical Traction Device