What is cervical traction? 

A highly effective method of applying a distraction force used to relieve neck pain for individuals suffering from arthritis, herniated and/or bulging discs, cervical muscle strains and spasms. 

What Does Traction Do For Your Neck?

Cervical traction equipment works by gently pulling the head away from the neck. By doing so: 

1. The muscles along the spinal cord begin to relax and gradually stretch, along with ligaments around the spine.
2. The intervertebral space of the spine expands, which brings blood flow, circulation, and nutrition to the areas which were being compressed.
3. Increased circulation helps to oxygenate muscles, nerves, tendons, and ligaments, which leads to decreased pain and increased mobility.

Pinched nerves are released. Herniated and bulging discs reduce. pressure is relieved. 

What Is a Cervical Traction Device and What Makes The Neck Hammock Different?

In the past, individuals could only receive traction at a physical therapist’s office. But these visits are often time consuming, inconvenient, and costly.   

Today, there are many at-home cervical traction devices, but most are complex, cumbersome, bulky, expensive, and potentially injurious.  

What is needed is an easy to use, compact, non-marring, effective traction device that minimizes discomfort and avoids potentially injurious stresses, while giving the patient ultimate relaxation and pain relief. 

And that’s how and why The Neck Hammock was created!

Can The Neck Hammock replace physical therapy?

While The Neck Hammock achieves many of the same benefits of physical and massage therapy, it is not meant to replace these modalities.

The Neck Hammock is meant to be a compliment to these therapies, which can be used every day to help relieve pain and protect against future injury. 

Can anyone use The Neck Hammock? 

The Neck Hammock is ideal for:

• Office workers
• Students
• Athletes
• Shift workers
• Laborers
• Drivers
• Bodyworkers 

Do not use The Neck Hammock if you have:

• Acute Cervical Injury 
• Spinal Instability 
• Spinal Hypermobility 
• Neck Tumors 
• Rheumatoid Arthritis 
• Osteomylelitis
• Under age of 16
  
  Consult with your Doctor or physical therapist to see if Cervical Traction equipment is right for you

What does neck traction help with and what are some of the symptoms that the Neck Hammock helps to improve?

The Neck Hammock is a non-surgical treatment option that uses uses cervical traction to provide fast neck pain relief, and a faster recovery from neck injuries, without the need for medications or surgery.  

• Neck, head or shoulder pain 
• Tension headaches
• Poor posture
• “Upper back Hump” aka Dowager’s Hump 
• Herniated, compressed or bulged discs 
• Pinched nerves 
• Cervical neck and muscle spasms
• Osteoarthritis 
• Physical and Mental Stress
• Muscle tightness
• Decreased range of motion and mobility of the neck
• Poor sleep due to anxiety and restless thinking before bed.
• And others

If the Neck Hammock treatment works on my symptoms, will I have to use it forever?

The analogy that we like to use relates to stretching. If you have tight hamstrings and stretch them once, you are going to get immediate relief. But if you don’t continue some sort of a maintenance stretching program, your hamstrings will become tight again. The Neck Hammock works similarly in that it’s a fantastic maintenance tool that helps promote spinal hygiene and joint mobility. This is what makes it an effective long-term solution to your neck pain and tension headaches. The frequency and duration of use truly depends on the person. As you become more mobile, you will need to use less and less.

What is the Neck Hammock made of?

Fabric Composition: 80% polyester, 20% spandex

How far should the top of your head be from the wall/door that the Neck Hammock is attached to? 

There is no exact number as the objective is to feel a comfortable, gradual stretch and much of it depends on how it feels for you. Ideally, we recommend that the base/pad of the Neck Hammock be approximately 2-4 inches off the ground when assembled, however, as for the distance between the hammock and the y-axis (e.g. wall or door), it will also depend as to which angle feels relaxing and comfortable for you.

1. If you are seeking a more aggressive stretch, scoot away from the wall or door. Start more conservatively and see how your body responds after 1 session.
2. If the stretch is too much, move back towards the wall or door.
3. Your body is very smart, it knows what it likes and doesn’t like. If the stretch feels too strong, then it probably is. Adjust the tension based on Your needs.

You can also check out the instructional video on our how to use page to help you set and adjust the Neck Hammock: Click Here

Should you start off with 15 minutes 3 times per day, or start slowly, e.g. 5 minutes at a time?

It mainly depends on the person using the device. We recommend starting at 10 minutes at one instance and working your way up from there. If your neck is in a bad shape, you may need to use it 2 – 3x per day up to 15 minutes (allow at least an interval of 4 hours in between sessions and a strict maximum of 15 minutes per session) at a time but as your range improves and the pain or discomfort subsides, then you can also decrease the frequency and duration of the stretch. However, should the 15-minute duration give you either a headache, or feeling of dizziness/nausea, or back pain, then you may need to decrease the time and place the pad more towards the middle of your neck.

We like to compare this in improving hamstring flexibility. If you have REALLY tight hamstrings, then you are probably going to need to stretch them 2 – 3x a day for a few weeks to see significant physical change. If you have relatively flexible hamstrings, then you probably only need to stretch them 3 – 4x per week.

Should the back pad inside the Neck Hammock go against the middle of your neck or at the top of your neck cradling the skull

This depends on your body as your neck will have a preferred position. We recommend trying both (placing the pad at the back of the head/base of the skull OR at the middle of the neck) and do what feels best and most comfortable for you.

For example, if you know that you text a lot or usually do things that keep your head in a downward position for extended periods of time, your neck probably needs to restore its natural “C-curve” so moving the pad to the middle of your neck will help restore that natural curve.

On the other hand, if you have a desk job, travel a lot, or sit all day, you can probably benefit from the neck hammock most by having the pad under the base of your skull for general neck traction.