Neck air traction devices? Do they help ?
 

Has anyone used or benifitted from a Neck traction device? The neck air traction or any of the other ones?

The expensive one where you lay on you back and operate a bicycle pump like thing works well for me. It's very easy to control the traction because the increase in traction is both slow and calibrated. There is a guide to make sure you are pulling in the correct direction.

It does seems to help bring my scalenes and other neck muscles out of bad spasm if done in a slow manner with only light traction.

I think the brand I have is sanders. Medicare paid for it

The cheap device that use a water bag over a door to provide traction are to be avoided according to the PT (Peter Edgelow) that I went to. It's very hard to control the direction of traction in a way that is constructive and does not flare.

What about the inflated ones, where you pretty much put a pillow around your neck secure it then use the inflatable pump to inflate it and takes the weight of your neck and pushes your neck up and shouldrs down.

Like this one.. http://www.airnecktraction.com/

I tried one recommneded by a different PT I think it was the Pronex one shown here

http://www.wisdomking.com/line195071.html

It did not work for me but it did work well for some of the other patients.

The one you show doesn't look good.

The thing is these machines have to apply pressure somewhere and they are designed for herniated disks not TOS. For disks it matters less where the pressure is. FOR tOS you don't want pressure on the brachial plexsus itself because that really hurts. I would guess it's probably not good for you as well.

The sanders unit pulls on the back of the neck so it's not putting pressure on injuried areas.

The ones that pull on your jaw can be problematic as well.

Unfortunately good traction units are expensive.

Once an pool therapist who definatley did not know about TOS put an inflatable donut like thing around my head and had me basically hang from it in deep water. VERY VERY BAD. Don't let anyone do that to you.