(2- Pump) Cervical Neck Traction Device – Premium 4-Way Targeting Neck Stretcher for Instant Pain Relief (Royal Blue)

I bought this for a patient to try for free. He has radiating arm and hand pain, along with low neck and shoulder (trapezius) pain. His arm/hand pain and numbness is caused by a disc bulge around c6/7. I have used actual decompression therapy, with a $20,000+ decompression table in my office with him. He gets relief from this but it is expensive per visit and not covered by his insurance. He was asking me about at home decompression devices for the neck. The older style, that is more common is the over the door pulley type decompression system. I have seem these used for some relief in the past.This specific decompression device uses bladder inflation. Think like a blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer for you medical nerds) pumping up but instead of inward compression, it has mostly vertical distraction/axial traction. I have given this patient this device at no charge, to try at home. He has used it for about a week and seems to be doing a little better, especially in the arm and hand after using it daily or every other day, at my instruction, for a week. The problem in the past, is we can't get him better but because of his job (mechanic) all the overhead work, aggravates and inflames his disc again. So we can get it better but can't keep it better for more than a week or two....which is not good enough at all, IMO.This unit is on the lower level of a good at home neck depression, traction unit. It is defiantly better than nothing and worth giving a try, especially if you can't afford a better over the door, pully unit or the best treatment is actual disc decompression on a decompression table, done by a professional, which is clearly the best, most effective and most accurate but costs the most.I would have no problem recommending this unit to people that are on a very tight budget, but for at home traction therapies, there are better options, in my opinion. The over the door units have more pull and are more adjustable for the angle. Please know, the best specific actual disc decompression is done by professional PTs, Chiropractors and sports MDs that have very expensive equipment and experience, but it is usually not covered by medical insurance and takes multiple treatments to be effective. Most would want a cervical MRI before this type of treatment also.I have a feeling this review will be updated soon. I will let you know what his experience is over time. Longevity of the product, durability and management of his symptoms will be updated in this review over time. This has been the first couple weeks.As with anything, please consult your health care provider for your specific health care needs. This traction collar could further injure or aggravate a torn disc, so please be careful and make your doctor send you for a neck (cervical) MRI if you want to know what is truly happening with your neck.It's your health and your body, sometimes you need to dictate to the doctor what needs to be done and not wait for them.Good luck and good health. 11/3/22Dr.K

The media could not be loaded. Needed a compactible neck traction device for travel. I’ve dealt with cervical pain for nearly 20 years and tried all kinds of neck traction devices. I have an over the door pulley option that I use mostly at home, but I travel a lot and that takes up too much space in the suitcase. So air pump option is great for travel because it deflates very flat.Overall this is a good quality product with ample features. There’s three inflation Chambers and two separate halves, separated by Velcro straps in the front in the back. Each half has a separate hand pump with the necessary quick release buttons to deflate.Here’s the good points I see:-Expands very well, I’m a large man and it extends my neck for the relief I need-The Velcro straps that connect the halves extend & cinch, so this should fit all size necks-there’s two hand pumps which is very nice for quicker air filling, I have used others with one hand pump so it takes longer and your hand gets exhausted-The material is very soft and the internal edges are not sharp so no significant rubbingI don’t have any negative points but definitely tips to be aware of:- I’ve found the hand pumps slip off the surgical tubes often. They slide back on easily and still able to inflate, but they come off almost every time which is annoying.-Personally I don’t think there should be separate halves. When extending, the neck should be lengthen exactly straight. For having separate halves, I could see somebody accidentally inflating one side watch more than the other which can be potentially dangerous. This shouldn’t be a problem as long as users are aware and intentionally pump both sides equally.-The trouble I have with neck traction that pull your head or inflate like this does, is my jaw takes a lot of pressure. Inflating this device to the relief I need, I felt my teeth clinch way harder than I would like, which is very common so not a flaw with this product specifically. But I use an athletic mouth piece to cushion my teeth when using this. If you do the same, you’ll avoid jaw pain.

I'm not entirely sure who may find this a comfortable device to use, but it just wasn't comfortable for me and not anything I'll try to continue using. Maybe it will be useful for someone else with a narrower neck, but for my neck, it was just too much. If not enough air is put in, then you're not getting the full benefit of the device, and if too much is put in, then it's just uncomfortable. I'd say you need to make your own decision on how the product works for you and not rely so much on reviews at this point in time.

I was excited to order this product because I have cervical pain in my neck and upper back. The product was a bit complicated to put on by yourself as the Velcro straps need to be inserted into the plastic strap slides. I asked my daughter for help getting it on. Once on, it is easy to pump it up using the hanging hand pumps, one for each side. I inflated the double neck collar which has an exterior soft fabric with an interior chamber for the air to inflate the collar. Once inflated, I felt the collar was uncomfortable, affecting my chin and ears which felt compressed and incombered. I released some air to make it more comfortable and the stretching/supportive function disappeared. While totally inflated, the neck is stretched and supported but is uncomfortable. If partially deflated, it loses its intended results. It may help some people but I was not satisfied with the product as advertised.

I know traction very well and occasionally perform it in myself and patients. The device does provide some traction but is so uncomfortable you can’t keep it on long. I find it easier to manually provide traction myself. Getting this on wasn’t easy either. I could imagine someone older with any hand/finger problems would struggle.