With the continuous development of society and the increase of life pressure, the incidence of cervical spondylosis is on the rise and has become one of the most prevalent diseases. It is mainly due to factors such as poor sitting posture, lack of exercise, and poor living habits. Similarly, with the development of society, methods of treating cervical spondylosis are also endless such as various medications, Chinese medicine techniques, exercise therapy, minimally invasive surgery and so on. Due to the continuous development of various technologies, the status of traction therapy in the treatment of cervical spondylosis has actually been affected, plus the fact that traction therapy requires more time and energy, etc., which makes it difficult for traction therapy to occupy a place in this increasingly busy social life. However, I personally believe that traction therapy is still an effective method for treating cervical spondylosis and occupies an indispensable position, which needs to be recognized more objectively.
I. The principle of traction therapy for cervical spondylosis
Cervical spine traction is used to treat cervical spondylosis through the interaction of traction force and counter-traction force by pulling the adjacent cervical vertebrae in the opposite direction. Cervical traction can have a therapeutic effect on the muscles, bones and nerves of the neck. It can relieve muscle spasm in the neck, relieve pain symptoms, increase the intervertebral space and intervertebral foramen, and facilitate the reset of the nucleus pulposus and fibrous ring tissue that have been protruded; restore the physiological curve of the cervical spine, loosen the adherent joint capsule, improve and restore the hook vertebral joint, and adjust the small joint misalignment; relieve and relieve the pressure and stimulation of the nerve root, promote the absorption of edema of the nerve root, promote blood circulation, and facilitate the local bruising and swelling and the regression of hyperplasia.
Generally speaking, cervical spondylosis is divided into 5 types, namely cervical cervical spondylosis, neurogenic cervical spondylosis, spinal cord cervical spondylosis, vertebral artery cervical spondylosis and sympathetic cervical spondylosis. However, only the following 2 types are suitable for traction treatment.
(1) Cervical cervical spondylosis: The spasm, strain or muscle imbalance of the cervical muscle caused by long-term strain leads to the change of the physiological curve of the cervical spine, resulting in the relaxation of the cervical joint capsule and ligaments, the instability of the small joints of the cervical spine, and the stimulation of the dorsal branch of the cervical nerve root and the secondary nerves. Traction is mainly used to treat cervical spondylosis by limiting the movement of the cervical spine, relieving the spasm of the cervical muscles and traction on the synovial membrane of the embedded small joints.
(2) Neurogenic cervical spondylosis: It develops due to degenerative changes of the cervical intervertebral disc and secondary pathological changes resulting in compression of the nerve roots. The main purpose of traction is to increase the intervertebral space and intervertebral foramen, buffer the pressure of the intervertebral disc tissue on the periphery, bring back the protruding disc and relieve or eliminate the pressure and stimulation on the nerve root, so as to achieve the purpose of treating cervical spondylosis.
Second, what kind of cervical spondylosis is not suitable for traction
Here to emphasize the point, not cervical cervical spondylosis and neurogenic cervical spondylosis can do traction with confidence and boldness, whether the patient can do traction treatment must be determined by the orthopedic surgeon, do not self-determination, so as not to cause delay in the treatment of the disease and aggravation of the disease.
Atlantoaxial joint misalignment, severe osteoporosis, etc. are not suitable for traction treatment.
III. Types and methods of traction therapy
(1) Sitting occipito-mandibular traction method: the patient takes a sitting position, holds the lower jaw and the occiput with the occipito-mandibular sleeve, the occipito-mandibular sleeve extends upward on both sides and connects to the transverse arch respectively, and the rope tied to the top of the transverse arch connects to the weight through the pulley device, so that the neck produces longitudinal traction. The elasticity of the occipito-mandibular sleeve is adjusted to the patient’s comfort.
(2) Reclining occipito-mandibular traction set: the patient is placed in a supine position, with the cervical spine flexed forward by 20°-30°, the occipito-mandibular traction set is fixed, and the extension cords on both sides of the occipito-mandibular traction set are connected to the traction weights through the pulley fixed at the head of the bed, and the traction angle is adjusted by using the pillow to keep the neck in a normal physiological arc or a natural and comfortable forward flexion position for traction.
(3) Manipulative cervical traction: Both in China and abroad, there are some units that carry out cervical spine manipulative traction. However, there is a certain degree of safety risk in the traction of the cervical spine, which may aggravate the disease and even lead to paralysis in serious cases. I do not recommend this traction, and if you do want to try it, please go to a regular hospital for examination and treatment.
(4) Electric cervical traction: the basic principle and position are the same as the occipito-mandibular traction set, but the heavy traction device of the occipito-mandibular traction set is changed to an electric traction device, so that continuous traction as well as intermittent traction can be done. If there are conditions, you can choose such a traction method, traction weight is more accurate.
Fourth, the time of cervical spondylosis traction treatment
Cervical spondylosis traction treatment does not have a fixed course of treatment, the doctor needs to develop an individualized traction program according to the patient’s symptoms, the degree of cervical spondylosis and the response to traction treatment. However, traction is usually applied 1-2 times a day, or 3 times a day, and the duration of each traction is usually 20-30 minutes, with 10-20 days as a course of treatment. When the symptoms are relieved with the treatment, it means that traction has been effective. When the symptoms basically disappear, traction should be insisted on for a period of time to consolidate the effect. If the symptoms still do not improve after 2-3 courses of treatment, we should consider other treatment methods.
Five, traction therapy misconceptions
1, traction therapy can be done at home by themselves
It is strongly recommended that traction should not be done at home. First of all, doctors with rich clinical experience and expertise will determine whether the patient’s situation is suitable for traction, the development of traction program, how the patient’s response to traction, when to stop; secondly, despite the detailed introduction of traction online, patients often have poor traction results due to poor angle mastery; then, due to the specificity of each patient, blindly follow the popular type of Traction mode may lead to aggravation of the condition; finally, if other adverse reactions such as dizziness, nausea and other symptoms occur during traction, the doctor can handle it for you in time. Therefore, it is recommended that you better go to a regular hospital for traction treatment.
2, the heavier the traction weight the better, the longer the traction time the better
Traction weight is not the heavier the better, traction time is not the longer the better. Inappropriate weight and traction time can easily lead to re-injury of the cervical spine. The commonly used traction weight varies greatly, from 1/10 to 1/5 of the patient’s own body weight, with most using 6-7 kg, and a smaller weight at the beginning of traction to facilitate patient adaptation. At the end of each traction, the patient should have an obvious feeling of neck stretching, but no special discomfort, if this feeling is not obvious, the weight should be increased as appropriate. Each traction duration is usually 20-30 minutes, traction weight and duration can be made in different combinations, generally traction weight is larger when the duration is shorter, traction weight is smaller when the duration is longer.
3, traction treatment for a few days feel no effect, then do not do
Traction treatment is a course of 10-20 days, the effect time is slow, so you can not give up because of a short time invalid, need to have the patience to persist in order to get symptom relief, but if traction more than 2-3 courses of treatment still do not see the effect, also need to discuss with the doctor whether to discontinue traction and choose other treatment options.
In short, traction treatment for cervical spondylosis requires careful screening of the condition, whether or not it is suitable to do, and which kind of traction is suitable to do, need to be judged and determined by professionals. To make traction a good method of treating cervical spondylosis, it is necessary to target.