Helpful Information

Treating back and neck pain with spinal traction is a practice that's been around for many years. As with many medical treatments, this method has evolved with technology, but the rationale and the effects remain the same.

The goal of spinal traction is to pull the vertebrae apart from each other. The purpose is generally to create more space for nerves where they exit the spinal column or to relieve pressure on the cartilage disks between the bones or on the small spinal joints themselves. At lower intensities, it can also be used to stretch small spinal muscles. The unproven theory is that if the disks are pulled, they will regain hydration or have an influx of water. This would then make them more shock absorbent. What we do know is how much force of pull is needed to get certain areas of the spine to separate between segments. In the cervical spine (neck) it takes about 20-30 pounds of pull to achieve separation. This is a relatively narrow range because the size and weight of the head does not vary greatly. For lumbar traction the amount of pull needed to begin separation of the vertebrae is half the body weight. This means if you weigh 180 pounds, it will take 90 pounds of pull to begin getting separation of the spinal joints and bones.

Is traction effective? The research is a little mixed. For short-term symptom relief, traction seems to be appropriate for some joint-related back and neck pain, but no better than other means of treatment like stretching or joint manipulation. For pain from a disk- or arthritis-related pinched nerve, traction can be effective for some. For patients with arm pain from a pinched nerve in their neck, there are some limitations.  The research indicates that if you have had the pain for less than 60 days, and it has been confirmed with an MRI, the problem can be traced to a disk and you might benefit more from intermittent traction. This means that the pull, at least 20 pounds of force, is on for no more than 1 minute, then off, then on again.

This brings us to how traction is done. Traditionally it is classified as either manual or mechanical. Manual traction is performed by another individual, usually your medical or rehabilitation provider. Mechanical traction comes in a wide variety of strategies and devices. We will first discuss the difference between sustained and intermittent traction. Intermittent traction is traction where the force of pull is used on and off. This can be done either manually or mechanically. Sustained traction is when the force of pull is held for an extended period of time, usually no more than 30 minutes. While this can be done manually, it is usually done mechanically since the force of pull can be held steady for a longer duration of time.

Lumbar traction is usually administered using a large device in a clinic. However, two similar home methods are moderately popular. One is a pneumatic version that works much the same way as the cervical version and can be done anywhere. The other is the inversion table. With this machine, you strap yourself into the leg clasps then flip over and hang upside down. One of the dangers of this is that hanging upside down often causes headaches and may cause alterations in blood pressure. It often takes several sessions to get used to using this apparatus. Clinically, lumbar traction is performed with different types of machines that range from manual control to computer controlled. Some even incorporate heat sources, electrical stimulation and music or DVD players. Regardless of the bells and whistles, the premise is the same: Pull the top half and the bottom half of the body away from each other. All systems rely on the ability to get a good hold on the body segments in order to pull with enough force (at least half the body weight) to make a difference. As with cervical traction, lumbar traction can be done in either sustained or intermittent modes. At Pleasant Hill Chiropractic we use the DTS Spinal Traction Table that can be used for neck, lower back and Carpal Tunnel wrist pain. Dr. Piva will determine if DTS is appropriate for your condition following a comprehensive examination. Usually treatment can begin on the same day. Along with DTS other therapy may be used including but not limited to Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS), Ultra-Sound, Cold Laser, Heat Therapy and Acupuncture.

There is no clear-cut evidence that spinal traction should be the primary treatment for any particular patient or for any certain symptoms. But cervical and upper extremity symptoms seem to show the most promise in being positively affected by intermittent traction. Traction may be an appropriate tool in the treatment of your neck or back pain or even nerve pain in the arms or legs. This should not be relied upon as your primary or sole treatment. When done in conjunction with stabilization exercises, joint manipulations, postural corrections and movement corrections, your chances of seeing improvement are much greater.

At Pleasant Hill Chiropractic, Dr. Piva believes Spinal Traction can be an effective and important part of your spinal health. Prevention is key. Ask us how an affordable program of 12 Traction treatments can be designed for you at 1 time per month. For Patients who are in unfortunate acute pain we will make sure we are the most affordable Spinal Traction Treatment Program in the area. As with all treatment programs at Pleasant Hill Chiropractic, “Empowerment to get better and stay at your best is the cornerstone of everything we do”.

Your mind is a powerful tool that can affect your health both physically and mentally. How you cope with stress can have far- reaching effects with your longevity. Stress is medically defined as an organism's total response to environmental demands or pressures. When stress was first studied in the 1950s, the term was used to denote both the causes and the experienced effects of these pressures. More recently, however, the word stressor has been used for the stimulus that provokes a stress response. One recurrent disagreement among researchers concerns the definition of stress in humans. Is it primarily an external response that can be measured by changes in glandular secretions, skin reactions, and other physical functions, or is it an internal interpretation of, or reaction to, a stressor; or is it both? Stress in humans results from interactions between persons and their environment that are perceived as straining or exceeding their adaptive capacities and threatening their well-being. The element of perception indicates that human stress responses reflect differences in personality, as well as differences in physical strength or general health. The causes of stress can include any event or occurrence that a person considers a threat to his or her coping strategies or resources.

Researchers generally agree that a certain degree of stress is a normal part of a living organism's response to the inevitable changes in its physical or social environment, and that positive, as well as negative, events can generate stress as well as negative occurrences. Stress-related disease, however, results from excessive and prolonged demands on an organism's coping resources. It is now believed that 80-90% of all disease is stress-related. The symptoms of stress can be either physical or psychological. Stress-related physical illnesses, such as irritable bowel syndrome, heart attacks, arthritis, hyperglycemia and chronic headaches, result from long-term overstimulation of a part of the nervous system that regulates the heart rate, blood pressure, and digestive system. Stress-related emotional illness results from inadequate or inappropriate responses to major changes in one's life situation, such as marriage, completing one's education, becoming a parent, losing a job, or retirement. Psychiatrists sometimes use the term adjustment disorder to describe this type of illness.

In an ideal world picture yourself doing an intense activity you love. As an example lets use hunting. You're outside with your son or daughter, the air is crisp, the leaves damp, sitting quietly in your blind and you see the buck of your dreams. You steady your riffle, your site is on, finger on the trigger---arterial pressure is rising 30-40 percent temporarily, there is an increase body temperature, increased release of amino acids from mainly your skeletal muscle, slight increase in hepatic gluconeogenesis resulting in hyperglycemia (rise in blood sugar) and rise in cortisol and adrenalin—Bang! You got it! (If you are against hunting substitute your car for the gun—the physiology will basically remain the same.

Now imagine feeling this way, this mixture of excitement, anxiety, and heaviness all the time. This chronic feeling is not good, and will eventually take its tole and lead to diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, fibromyalgia and depression which can lead to further problems such as high cholesterol, stroke, heart attack, premature aging and early death.

Over the last eight to ten years I have done thousands of acupuncture treatments for stress and have formulated a specific set of acupuncture points that have been successful in helping my patients feel better and reduce their feelings of anxiety, depression and stress. If you are feeling stressed and are dealing with the physical and/or emotional consequences of stress, as mentioned above, please try acupuncture. I want to help you form a “Stress Fighting Lifestyle” and will do everything I can to get you there. Along with acupuncture, exercise and diet do play a significant role in reducing stress and the harmful effects it can have on your physical and emotional health. I have spoken with Daniel Standley of Revolution Martial Arts in Pleasant Hill and he is willing to offer a special on his Kick Boxing Exercise class to help you on your way to better health. The benefits of reduced stress are being happier, lower blood pressure, possibly lowered blood sugar levels (important for diabetics) and with some additional discussions on nutrition you can experience healthy weight-loss.

I Believe stress is the catalyst to so many other diseases and it is so important to reduce and learn how to cope with its effect that I am going to reduce and acupuncture treatment for stress reduction to $20/treatment until February 18, 2011. This is good for new and present patients of Pleasant Hill Chiropractic. It may be the best 40-60 minutes you have spent on yourself in a while. You have nothing to lose, but your feelings of stress!