What Is The Treatment For Cervical Spine Disorder?

: Admin : 2021-12-11

What are the causes of cervical pain?

The spinal cord is a complex network of nerve cells, responsible for movement, coordination and sensation that conduct nerve impulses from the brain to different parts of the body. It is protected and supported within the vertebral column located on the posterior part behind the bottom of the brain stem extending to the lower back. Cervical spine disorder caused by injury or degenerative diseases of neck bones, spongy discs between the vertebrae, joints, muscles and ligaments causes neck pain extending to jaw, shoulders, arms or legs with numbness and weakness. Cervical spondylitis, degenerative disc disease, cervical myelopathy, cervical spinal stenosis are common cervical spine disorders that cause intense neck pain.

What is the treatment for cervical spine disorder?

A patient who develops neck pain, discomfort, incoordination of movement, breathing difficulty with weakness should consult a physician. After recording the symptoms, the doctor investigates the pathology through X-ray, CT scan and MRI to diagnose the disease.

The location or the cause of cervical pain is determined under the scans and a systematic treatment protocol is decided by the physician. Analgesics are often prescribed by the doctor to treat cervical pain. Physical therapy in the form of cervical traction and exercises is a supportive measure to heal the pain caused by different spinal disorders.

What is intermittent cervical traction?

An intermittent cervical traction is a form of physical therapy that involves alternate traction force given to patients with intermediate intervals of rest. The intense pain in the neck and rigidity restricts normal movements of the neck causing difficulty while sleeping or exercising. Cervical traction is a method of gently stretching your neck thereby separating disc and joint areas within the cervical spine. The pressure from traction is repeated at timely intervals with periods of rest, so a relaxation physical technique can heal patients from cervical pain.

Intermittent cervical traction is a treatment procedure for patients diagnosed mainly with a herniated disc, degenerative conditions like cervical spondylitis and cervical compressive myelopathy. Patients vital signs like temperature, pulse and blood pressure should be recorded before the procedure.

MANUAL CERVICAL TRACTION is one method  where head and neck are held by the therapist and gentle traction of pulling force is applied. Intermittent periods of rest and force can be applied holding each position for about ten seconds.

MECHANICAL CERVICAL TRACTION is done by pinning pins on anterior and posterior parts of skull through placement of a halo device. A harness attached to the machine regulates the traction force under supervision of therapist in between intervals of rest.

OVER THE DOOR TRACTION involves strapping harness to the head and neck while patient is sitting on the chair. The harness is then attached to a rope through a pulley system over a nearby door and traction force is applied using weights, sand bags or water bag attached on the opposite side of the rope. Intermittent periods of rest are ensured to be given to the patient while traction force is applied during this physical therapy.

The pull force applied can be changed, held for upto 10 to 20 seconds and gradually released. Rhythmic traction force applied through gentle pull and release of the system attached, done  through any of the above methods with intermittent intervals of rest gives relief from pain and associated symptoms to patients suffering from cervical spine disorders.

What are the benefits of intermittent cervical traction?

Patients who visits physical therapists for treatment of cervical spine disorders, are prescribed cervical traction. It helps to decrease compressive forces in the neck, release pressure foce within the neck that cause spasm and rigidity with lack of mobility of neck muscles.

This technique helps to open up spaces in between the vertebral disc where nerves exist, from the spinal cord thereby releasing the pressure symptoms caused due to compression of the nerve.

Intermittent cervical traction therapy helps to stretch muscles and joints around the neck. It thus acts as an exercise done with the support of a trained, skilled physical therapist.

Patients having deep rooted cervical pain, numbness, weakness with imbalance, rigidity during neck movements have shown improvement, relief from symptoms after sessions of cervical traction therapy under experienced physical therapist.

Patients are sensitive to medication, analgesics at times. They often complain of several side effects caused by non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and pain killers. Most of the patients seek alternative treatment options in the form of cervical traction therapy which promises better results after every follow up sessions over a period of few months.

Intermittent cervical traction therapy is a popular, universally recommended treatment method which have shown definate positive results. Patients should be aware of this therapy and once the disease is diagnosed, timely medical support, regular intermittent cervical traction sessions when advised by the consulting physician should be followed for better, long lasting results.