Traction for neck and arm pain is a common therapy most physical therapists use every day. That's because sometimes the problem of pain in the arm to your fingertips may not originate in your neck -- and not in your arm at all.
A good proportion of people suffering from arm and hand pain think they have carpal tunnel symptoms. Those symptoms are hand, wrist or finger pain, numbness tingling and weakness.
But cervical (neck) radiculopathy can cause these identical symptoms. So how do you tell the difference?
First, you can check yourself for carpal tunnel syndrome with specific self-tests. These self-tests will not be positive if you have cervical radiculopathy.
Cervical radiculopathy is also called a "pinched nerve" in the neck. The most common cause of cervical radiculopathy is a narrowing of the passageway where nerves exit the spine. This can happen due to abnormal bone accumulation, bone spurs, or a herniated disc among or other causes.
The neck and arm pain due to cervical radiculopathy can result from an unknown pathology. But it can also result from specific behavioral factors. For example, those who stand for hours at a time or sit at a computer are the most likely to suffer.
In the general population, cervical radiculopathy most often comes about due to poor sitting or standing posture. In fact, any worker who maintains a constantly forward-tilted head (like on an assembly line) can suffer with cervical radiculopathy. Simple preventative measures can avoid this condition (including carpal tunnel syndrome).
Doctors use neck traction for neck and arm pain when cervical radiculopathy is suspected. In fact, it's very common for therapists to begin treatment with neck traction.
Neck traction pulls the vertebral bones apart rather than compressing them. This takes the pressure off the pinched nerve. As a result, it's not unusual to see neck and arm pain relieved instantly when traction is applied.
Many doctors and therapists confuse cervical radiculopathy symptoms with carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. The common factor in both of these conditions is that the symptoms are not in the region where the pain actually seems to be. In other words, even though the painful symptoms are "downstream":
As a result of poor sitting or standing posture, many people create
musculoskeletal stress
problems in their neck and shoulders. Actually, a more severe disturbance can produce so much pressure in that area that it causes a condition known as
thoracic outlet syndrome. Its symptoms are similar to both cervical radiculopathy and carpal tunnel syndrome.
When a therapist rules out carpal tunnel syndrome and thoracic outlet syndrome, the likely reason for pain is cervical radiculopathy. And this is when neck traction is used. Today, traction for neck and arm pain due to radiculopathy is one of the few medical therapies that can bring almost instant pain relief.
You will need a helper in order to properly perform at-home traction for neck and arm pain. Don’t allow your helper to EVER force your neck in any direction or produce fast motions or jerks in your neck.
Also, you will need a quiet room that has a smooth floor. A kitchen floor is usually best.
If you were successful in using neck traction for neck and arm pain relief then the cause was probably due to cervical radiculopathy. And most likely, the radiculopathy resulted from how you sit or stand and hold your head, neck, shoulders and back. Since poor posture is a leading cause of neck and arm pain, you should take measures to correct your posture in the workplace.
Finally, if your symptoms persist then you may have a more serious condition like carpal tunnel syndrome or thoracic outlet syndrome. But don’t worry because there are highly successful ways to treat both of those disorders. In fact, the best treatments for either of them don’t even involve surgery.
In some cases you can use traction for neck and arm pain to successfully relieve symptoms. Such symptoms may result from cervical radiculopathy. And the most common reason for radiculopathy is poor posture. Poor posture produces abnormal stresses in your neck and shoulders. Cervical radiculopathy symptoms are similar to carpal tunnel syndrome and thoracic outlet syndrome.