Introduction
Traction therapy is a manual treatment method that helps reduce pain by eliminating the stress exerted over the affected area of the vertebral discs. This method involves manual spinal column stretching, which helps lower the stress and pressure exerted over the disc between the vertebrae. In traction therapy, the spinal cord is pulled gently in the opposite direction, which helps stabilize and modify the damaged spinal sections. Read the article to learn more about traction therapy.
What Is Meant by Traction?
Traction is a manual method to reduce the stress and pressure exerted on vertebral discs. This helps to reduce the pain caused. In the case of traction therapy, there will be manual stretching of the spine, which reduces the stress over the disc and the pain caused.
How Does Traction Therapy Help to Reduce Pain?
In the spine, there are circular structures called discs. Discs are of a tough outer layer that protects an inner soft tissue. When there is stress or pressure over the disc, the hard outer layer gets damaged, and the inner layer protrudes through the space. Protrusion of the soft inner layer can result in compression of many surrounding nerves, which can cause pain. In traction therapy, the vertebrae are pulled away from the disc to reduce the pressure exerted over the disc. While doing this, the inner soft part returns to its normal position. This decompresses the nerves and reduces the pain. Traction therapy also helps to rehydrate the disc.
What Are the Types of Traction?
-
Lumbar Traction:
This method applies traction to the lower back region over the lumbar vertebrae and related structures.
-
Cervical Traction:
This method focuses on the neck region, which relieves neck pain and nerve decompression and helps enhance cervical spine alignment.
Who Are the People Who Benefit From Traction Therapy?
Traction therapy can help people with
-
Herniated discs occur when the cushion-like disc ruptures between the spinal bones.
-
Sciatica is a condition that is characterized by numbness, a tingling effect, weakness, and pain in the leg.
-
Neck pain.
-
Spondylitis is a condition where the vertebrae in the spine get fused.
-
Spinal stenosis occurs where there is limited space within the backbone.
-
Degenerative disc disease refers to spine osteoarthritis that affects the neck and lower back.
What Are the Advantages of Traction Therapy?
Some common advantages of traction therapy are
-
Muscle Relaxation:
The alignment of the vertebral column will exert unwanted pressure on the muscles. Due to this, muscles are under continuous pressure. However, traction therapy helps relieve pressure and relax muscles.
-
Pain Relief:
The force applied during the therapy helps in the controlled straightening of the spinal column. This helps to release the stress and pressure that can cause the pain.
-
Helps in Healing:
When proper pressure is applied over the disc, it releases the healing nutrients that trigger the body's healing process. This helps in quick overall recovery.
-
Avoid Surgeries:
By performing traction therapy, proper force can be applied, which helps relieve stress and pain. This method can be followed instead of surgery.
-
Enhances Other Therapies:
By performing traction therapy, surgery can be avoided entirely; instead, other therapies, such as hot and cold therapy, are always safe to follow.
Who Are the People Who Should Not Follow Traction Therapy?
Traction therapy cannot be followed by all. Some people should not follow this method; they are
-
People with osteomyelitis and osteoporosis.
-
People affected with bone cancer.
-
Spinal cord conditions.
-
People with cardiac issues.
-
Arthritis.
-
People with spinal fractures.
People with osteomyelitis or osteoporosis and with certain cancers should not follow traction therapy as it can worsen the original pain. In most cases, there are chances for the occurrence of muscle spasms during or post-therapy.
What Are the Exercises Followed in Traction Therapy?
Exercises can be followed along with traction therapy, enhancing the healing process. Exercises targeting the specific affected regions, such as the neck, back, or spine, can help heal. Exercise, along with traction therapy, helps to retain flexibility, muscle strength, and mobility. Some exercises that can be followed are
-
Neck Exercise:
Stretches and strengthening exercises, which focus on the neck and shoulder muscles, can be followed.
-
Back Exercise:
Exercises that help strengthen and stretch the lower back muscles can be followed.
-
Core Exercise:
These exercises focus on strengthening the core.
-
Strengthening Exercise:
These exercises help to strengthen the muscles of the spine.
-
Balance Exercise:
Yoga poses and single-leg stands can be followed, which helps enhance balance.
What Is the End Result of Traction Therapy?
Following traction therapy helps to relieve pain and stress and enhance overall life. The results include
-
The process of traction therapy focuses on eliminating the stress that causes the pain.
-
The spinal cord will be appropriately aligned, which will enhance the posture.
-
The compressed nerves can be relieved.
-
Stretching and strengthening the bones and muscles.
What Are the Side Effects of Traction Therapy?
There are no severe risks associated with traction therapy. Some side effects can occur during or after the treatment. Some can have pain in the affected area, or muscle spasms can occur. Traction therapy is not recommended for every person. The doctor analyzes the medical history of the person and recommends traction therapy.
Is Traction Therapy Effective?
Traction therapy is considered as an art of treatment, but in recent times there are more effective and advanced forms of treatment for correcting fractures, and spinal, and neck injury. Post traction, the movement is restricted until recovery which takes a long time. In the present it is used as a temporary method until definitive treatment planning is done. It is very effective in treating some health condition and help to relieve pain in the initial stages of the injury or damage.
What Is the Outlook of Traction Therapy?
Along with other physical therapies, spinal traction is seen to do a lot of good to the affected people. Traction therapy helps reduce pain and prepares the body for healing.
Conclusion
Traction therapy is used widely in physiotherapy and orthopedics. In this method, controlled pulling force is applied over the affected region, which helps relieve pain, release the decompressed nerves, and help align the spine. Traction is one of the treatment methods for many spinal conditions. Traction therapy helps enhance the strength and flexibility of the joints and muscles and improves life.
