What to Know About Neck Traction (Cervical Traction)

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributor, Nichole Owens
Medically Reviewed by Zilpah Sheikh, MD on July 15, 2025
8 min read

Neck traction, also called cervical traction, is a type of stretching that is often used for neck pain.

The term traction can mean different things in health care, but it generally refers to using a pulling force to treat joint, bone, or muscle problems. This is often used in physical therapy or orthopedics to treat:

  • Long-lasting muscle spasms
  • Dislocation
  • Fractures 
  • Deformities 

Traction is usually used on the neck, spine, arms, legs, and pelvis to help with any muscle, joint, or bone problems. 

How neck traction (cervical traction) works

The concept of traction uses force and counterforce to pull in the opposite directions. This usually involves pulling one way and adjusting a bed or using your body weight as a counterweight in the other direction.

This is often used for broken limbs. You might have seen someone with their leg wrapped, attached to a pulley system with weights, and hanging in midair. The pulley helps pull in one direction and your body weight pulls in the opposite. This is often done to help align bones for proper healing.

Neck traction, or cervical traction, uses pulling force on the neck. These are usually stretches or other exercises that are used to ease neck pain. These can sometimes involve devices that you can use at home.

There are three types of neck traction, which are used at different times.

Manual cervical traction

This is done with your therapist using their hands to gently pull your head and neck away from your body. They hold your head for 10 seconds and then gently release. They might do it several times at different angles. 

This type of traction is used: 

  • To diagnose your neck condition
  • During massage or physical therapy to gently stretch muscles
  • During chiropractic adjustment to gently stretch the neck
  • To relieve pain

Mechanical cervical traction

In this kind of traction, a harness (set of straps) is attached to your head while you lay down. Your therapist attaches the harness to a machine and uses traction to stretch your head and neck away from your body.

This kind of traction can also involve a Halo device or Gardner-Wells tongs, which use a ring pinned to the skull. These can be attached to a vest for long-term wear to help stabilize the neck. It can be attached to a harness, too. A machine or a weight is then applied to the Halo to give the pull.

Over-the-door cervical traction

This kind of neck traction is used in a therapy office or at home. A harness or cushioned sling is strapped to your head and neck. The harness is then attached to a rope and pulley system over a door. Sometimes, a weight is added to the end of the rope or you can manually pull the rope to stretch the neck.

Neck traction is used in physical therapy settings, the emergency room, and, sometimes, at home. It is considered a noninvasive way to stabilize fractures or dislocations in the neck and spine. It’s also used for:

  • Arthritis
  • Pinched nerves
  • Cervical disc disease
  • Misalignment of cervical bones
  • Spondylosis, or spinal degenerative disc disease
  • Stenosis, or narrowing of the cervical space
  • Scoliosis‌

Neck traction has specific benefits, including:

  • Easing muscle spasm
  • Stopping muscles from shortening and contracting
  • Easing pressure
  • Helping to bring back blood flow and nerve function
  • Keeping your neck stable 
  • Correcting deformities
  • Resting an injury
  • Easing pain

People who have neck problems can sometimes have numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, as well as a lot of pain, among other symptoms. Studies show that neck traction (cervical traction) does offer short-term relief, but more research is needed about the long-term benefits of this treatment. It’s not fully clear how neck traction helps, but it’s thought that being in traction can take off some of the pressure on the nerves and help muscles relax.

Sometimes, traction is used on and off with periods of rest. This might bring more blood flow to your nerves. This kind of traction is used mostly for degenerative disc disease and when your neck doesn’t move well.

Sustained traction uses weights or force for longer periods, usually for up to one hour. This is used mostly for muscle pain and herniated discs.

Problems from neck traction are rare. People who have certain health conditions probably shouldn’t use this therapy. These include:

Your physical therapist or doctor will decide if you should use neck traction and if an athome traction device is a good idea.

If you have any of the following symptoms during neck traction, you should stop immediately and be looked at by your doctor:

  • Headache
  • Nerve pain in your extremities
  • The pain suddenly goes away
  • Neurological symptoms, such as muscle weakness, numbness, fainting, confusion, vision loss, tremors, or seizures

Neck traction is one way to help with neck pain and other problems. Your muscles, tissues, and spine are sensitive to damage, so it’s best to get advice from your doctor first.

Your doctor will talk to you about your condition before they decide whether or not it can be treated with neck traction (cervical traction). Then they’ll do a physical exam to check for any issues that might affect your treatment. Conditions your doctor might recommend neck traction (cervical traction) for include degenerative arthritis, spinal nerve root compression (neuropathy), and herniated discs. Your doctor may offer treatment in their office or refer you to a physical therapist. You may even be able to do it yourself at home.

You can purchase over-the-door traction kits to use on days when you can’t attend physical therapy, says Mark Gugliotti, DPT, associate professor of physical therapy at the New York Institute of Technology. But they shouldn’t be your first option. “Patients should be seen initially by a physical therapist for traditional traction. This will help determine if these home kits are safe and effective for the patient.”

Sarah Cash Crawford, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist and founder of Anchor Wellness and WAVE Physical Therapy in Cincinnati, Ohio. She says that while home traction kits are generally safe, it does come with risks. “Too much traction can cause damage to the spine or nerves. It can also cause strain through the muscles if not properly applied or positioned. The only indication for performing home traction is if a person is dealing with a herniated disc in the cervical spine.”

Recommended devices

You can purchase a variety of neck traction (cervical traction) devices for home use online. The most commonly used types are the over-the-door device and pneumatic devices.

Over-the-door devices. You wear a chin strap harness that attaches to a rope and pulley system that hangs over the door. As you pull the rope, the device stretches your neck. Other devices that use the rope and pulley system include frames that attach to your headboard or freestanding units.

Pneumatic devices. With these, you lie flat on your back and place the device beneath your head and shoulders. A strap holds your head in place. You use a pump to apply pressure that slowly pulls your head away from your body. This stretches your neck muscles and creates space between the bones in your neck (cervical vertebrae). 

Neck traction exercises

If you don’t want to purchase devices, there are some neck traction exercises you can do at home to ease neck pain and stiffness. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist before you begin.

Supine neutral head position. Lie flat on your back. You can use a thin pillow or no pillow — whichever makes you more comfortable. Let your head fall backward, and hold this position for 5-10 minutes, as long as you comfortably can. Repeat every couple of hours.

Supine retraction. Lie flat on your back. Place your fingers on your chin, and push downward until your chin tucks and your head is pushed downward. You’ll feel stretching in the back of your neck. Repeat 8-10 times. If your pain gets worse as you do this, stop.

Towel method. You’ll need a partner for this. Fold a towel lengthwise, and ask your partner to place it around the back of your neck, at the base of your skull. Your partner holds each end of the towel and pulls gently upward. Hold for 10 seconds, then rest for a few minutes. Repeat up to 10 times.

Bedside cervical traction. Lie on a flat surface at least 2 feet off the floor, such as your bed. Lie flat on your stomach with your arms at your side. Suspend your head, neck, and shoulders over the edge of the bed. Slowly move your neck from side to side to loosen and relax your muscles. Do this for 60 seconds each day, as needed. 

Monitoring progress

The biggest sign that neck traction (cervical traction) is working is that you feel less pain or stiffness. If you’re using neck traction to ease pain from an acute herniated disc, Crawford says, “the progress we’d be looking for is a centralization of symptoms, meaning symptoms like numbness or tingling in the hands should begin to move out of the hands and toward the neck.”

Neck traction, also called cervical traction, uses stretches or other exercises to ease neck pain. It works by stretching neck muscles and creating spaces between the bones (cervical vertebrae) in your neck. Your doctor might recommend neck traction to treat many conditions, such as arthritis, pinched nerves, or herniated discs. It can be done by your doctor or physical therapist. You can also do it yourself at home. Neck traction treatments last between 10 and 30 minutes, and you may see your neck pain and stiffness improve after just two or three sessions.

Is traction good for your neck?

Neck traction (cervical traction) eases neck pain, stiffness, and tension. It can also make the muscles along your cervical spine more flexible. Each traction treatment with a physical therapist lasts about 10-15 minutes, and relief is often immediate, sometimes after just two or three sessions.

How long should you stay in neck traction?

Neck traction (cervical traction) treatments — whether done in your physical therapist’s office or at home — typically last about 10-15 minutes. In some cases, they may last as long as 30 minutes.

Does the neck hump device work?

A neck hump — also called a dowager’s hump — is a bulge at the base of your lower neck, where your cervical (neck) and thoracic spine meet. It’s caused by poor posture, leaning forward, or looking down for long periods.

While you can purchase many devices online that claim to correct a neck hump, more research is needed to tell whether they offer long-term benefit. Doctors say the best way to correct a neck hump is by keeping a good posture, doing strength training exercises, and managing your weight. If you work at a computer, make sure your chair and desk support your posture.