Traction has at times offered me more relief than medication. I also have a C5-C6 compression.
Get some PT prescribed and go to a therapist who has a machine that pulses the traction 15 seconds on, 30 seconds off or so.
The best home device (I've tried many) is offered by a company called EMPI. It's called the PRONEX. Have the therapist order it for you. It's basically an air bladder between two firm forms, one fits under your head, the other rests on your shoulders. If your doctor recommends something called an over the door device, tell him it's a waste of time.
Best part is that you use it lying down, and it has a hand held pump device for the bladder, similar to the thing that blows up the arm band in a blood pressue kit.
BJ
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- 1993 C5-C6 compression noted in Xray
- 1995 Forearm soreness observed, attribute to RSI
- 1997 Jammed finger in Sports Accident, numbness never goes away
- 1998 numbness and parathesia in middle finger attribute to carpal tunnel syndrome
- Carpal tunnel surgery ineffective
- 2000 Acupuncture, Acupressure, massage, PT, Yoga
- 2001 Neurologist orders MRI, diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy and spondylosis
- 2002 Conservative therapies continued, condition persists, 5 neurosurgeons consulted
- 2003 Artificial disc prosthesis considered and rejected, 2 level fusion scheduled
[This message has been edited by cotal (edited 04-04-2003).]
traction 
Apologies for missing your first post. Traction is still used for certain conditions, but I would think that type of pressure might not be compatible with certain conditions and could possibly do more harm than good. Whether or not a kyphotic condition would benefit from traction I just don't know. Is your kyphosis trauma related?
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