Lumbar Traction for Low Back Pain
Living with back pain is a real challenge. Aside from the pain, sufferers often deal with secondary issues like insomnia, depression, lack of mobility, and more. Thankfully, there are tools and techniques you can use to alleviate back pain, and in this article, we’ll be focusing on lumbar traction. We’ll explain what it is, how it helps, how to get a treatment, and everything else you need to know.
What is lumbar traction?
Lumbar traction is a treatment usually administered by a healthcare professional to reduce lower back pain or sciatica, though it may be helpful in treating various back issues. It requires special equipment that you won’t find for sale at most stores. The goal of lumbar traction is to gently stretch out your spine to make more room between your bones there. The decompression inhibits pain impulses and aids in spinal alignment.
Though lumbar traction therapy is primarily done in a professional setting, there are ways to stretch your back out and reap the benefits of the treatment at home. Some of the best at-home lumbar traction remedies include decompression mats and lumbar traction stretching exercises. Your doctor may recommend products and exercises like these in between appointments to keep your back in good shape.
Lumbar traction is a treatment usually administered by a healthcare professional to reduce lower back pain or sciatica, though it may be helpful in treating various back issues. It requires special equipment that you won’t find for sale at most stores. The goal of lumbar traction is to gently stretch out your spine to make more room between your bones there. The decompression inhibits pain impulses and aids in spinal alignment.
Though lumbar traction therapy is primarily done in a professional setting, there are ways to stretch your back out and reap the benefits of the treatment at home. Some of the best at-home lumbar traction remedies include decompression mats and lumbar traction stretching exercises. Your doctor may recommend products and exercises like these in between appointments to keep your back in good shape.
How does lumbar spine traction work?
Lumbar traction works by stretching out your back using either your own body weight or mechanical components like pulleys or weights. The pressure created by the stretching force releases tension and pressure on your nerves and spinal discs, and can help to drastically reduce your back pain.
During your lumbar traction sessions in an office, you’ll simply lie down on a specialized mat or table and follow the practitioner’s instructions. With LumbaRest lumbar traction, you’ll take a few seconds to set up the mat and adjust its components. Then, you’ll lie down and relax – if you can go to sleep, that’s even better. The key to a good lumbar traction treatment is to completely relax, and you’re never more relaxed than when you’re asleep.
The benefits of lumbar traction
Lumbar traction continues to grow in popularity as more and more people become aware of the back pain relief treatment. And that’s because it works for many who try it. Here are some of the benefits you may notice after trying lumbar spine traction:
- Pain relief. The decrease in compression achieved through lumbar traction can give you quick and lasting pain relief. Some may feel a difference in just a single session.
- Non-invasive treatment. Some back treatments require invasive treatments that require lengthy recoveries. This isn’t the case with lumbar traction. It’s non-invasive with no downtime.
- Better spinal health and enhanced healing. The action of decompressing your lumbar vertebrae using lumbar traction can increase nutrient delivery and help the affected area heal faster.
- Drug-free. Lumbar traction is drug-free, so there’s no risk of becoming addicted to any substance.
How often should you do lumbar traction?
There’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation for how often you should do lumbar traction. Your ideal lumbar traction frequency will depend on how bad your back pain is, whether the traction sessions are working for you, and what your healthcare practitioner recommends. What’s more is that your healthcare professional may recommend doing frequent traction sessions in the beginning and then spacing them out over time as your back issues improve.
If you decide to use a LumbaRest lumbar traction therapy mat at home, you can start with a 45 minute session 3 times a day.
What are the disadvantages of lumbar traction?
No back pain treatment is perfect, and lumbar traction is no exception. The main disadvantage with lumbar traction is that you might feel a little discomfort at the beginning of your session. However, this pain is usually short-lived as your body gets acclimated to the treatment.
In addition, mechanical lumbar traction (which requires sophisticated equipment) can’t be done at home. It’s for this reason that many consider at-home alternatives, like mats and mattresses for lumbar traction therapy.
Can lumbar spine traction really help back pain?
There have been ongoing disputes around how traction helps relieve back pain. Some studies have found that the method is clearly effective, while others come back with inconclusive or limited evidence of effectiveness. Still, considering anecdotal testimonies, traction has helped countless people find relief from back pain. It’s important to know that the only way to determine whether lumbar traction will work for you is to give it a try. But be sure to ask your healthcare provider first, especially if you’re not sure what’s causing your back pain.
How long does it take for lumbar traction to work?
There’s no way to guess the amount of time it may take for lumbar spine traction to work for you specifically. But some enjoy reduced pain within days of starting their treatment, while others don’t notice an improvement in their pain for a week or more. Being diligent with your treatments and following any advice from your doctor are essential to positive results.
Get started with lumbar traction therapy
If you want to give lumbar traction therapy a try, you have a couple of options to choose from. In-office treatments are available to those who have the funds or insurance to afford them and the time to go to in-person treatments. You’ll be supervised and instructed by a healthcare professional at every step. You may need several treatments to achieve the pain reduction you’re looking for.
Your other option is to start at-home lumbar traction therapy. You’ll purchase a specially designed mat and rest/sleep on it several times daily. Over time, you should notice a marked decrease in lower back pain and an overall improvement in back health.
So, there you have it – everything you need to know about lumbar traction. If you’ve tried other lower back pain remedies and haven’t been successful in getting rid of the pain, traction just could be the remedy you needed all along. We hope you found all the information you were looking for, and we wish you the best with your back health going forward!
