If you have pain that is in your neck, lower back, or pain that is caused by disc problems, then you may be able to benefit from chiropractic traction therapy. This therapy is used when the chiropractor believes it will be beneficial to gently pull apart the vertebrae slightly.
The discs that are between the vertebrae of your spine are there to provide a cushion so that the bones do not touch each other. The spacing also allows nerves to exit the spine and go to their various organs of your body. When the discs are in good shape, and when the vertebrae in your spine are aligned correctly, you will feel good.
An injury to your back can cause a disc to become damaged, which is what happens when you have a bulging or herniated disc. This often causes direct pressure from the vertebrae to be put on the nerves, which will usually result in pain, but not always.
Chiropractic traction therapy will be used to gently pull apart the vertebrae where the disc is damaged. It is painless. Separating them a little bit enables some healing to take place and pain relief is often felt immediately. This will help the disc to get more nourishment and to begin the healing process.
Traction therapy may be applied three ways. The chiropractor may use his or her hands with manual traction, or may use hands with a pulley combination. Another form is called mechanical traction, which uses a set of motorized pulleys. A third form is computerized traction, which uses a split-traction table and it is computer controlled. A harness is used to secure the patient to the table, and then the table is maneuvered to get the desirable effect.
