# Cervical traction
**URL:** https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098
**Category:** Complimentary Therapies
**Created:** [January 12, 2017, 2:41pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098 "2017-01-12T14:41:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@anon37611625](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/anon37611625)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2017, 2:41pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098/1 "2017-01-12T14:41:56Z")
Has any one tried the over the door cervical traction devices?That stretch your neck.Thinking about it
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### Author:  [@anon67464382](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/anon67464382)
#### Post date: [January 12, 2017, 9:04pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098/2 "2017-01-12T21:04:14Z")
What is your thought process behind this? Not saying it is a bad idea but where are you coming from?
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### Author:  [@anon37611625](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/anon37611625)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2017, 12:29am UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098/3 "2017-01-13T00:29:38Z")
Well bad ,BAD pain day today-so maybe my thought process is a bit [off.My](http://off.My) problems started after dental procedures during sleep dentistry.I have no idea how much they twisted my neck while I was asleep.I have a small mouth,so they could have done some major twisting.I had a neck MRI done and it shows some compressions between C1 and [C4.So](http://C4.So) if the little tail of the trigeminal nerve is caught up somewhere streyching the neck might help?
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### Author:  [@anon25930859](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/anon25930859)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2017, 1:40pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098/4 "2017-01-13T13:40:11Z")
Cervical traction might seem plausible, but it can have some rather severe side effects if you happen to stretch your neck just wrong. I suggest that you consult with your primary care provider before you attempt something like this. Another avenue to talk about might be an occipital nerve block. Though I’ve never heard of one that worked, there are people on the site who advocate for that approach.
I wish you wellness.
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### Author:  [@anon37611625](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/anon37611625)
#### Post date: [January 13, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098/5 "2017-01-13T14:35:33Z")
Hi Red
I am [thinking.My](http://thinking.My) primary care doctor would not approve-however he has given me a prescription for physiotherapy-so I will ask the therapist.
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### Author:  [@Hollywood\_Girl](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/Hollywood_Girl)
#### Post date: [January 14, 2017, 7:42am UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098/6 "2017-01-14T07:42:41Z")
I had an occipital nerve block that relieved the pain on top of my head and the pain at the base of my skull for about a week. This amounted to about 20 percent overall pain relief, as most of my pain is in the middle branch of the trigeminal nerve (I have TN2, the constant kind, not the shocking kind). Still, when you’re at the end of your rope, sometimes 20 percent can be just enough relief to keep you going. I wish you peace from this monster.
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### Author:  [@anon67464382](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/anon67464382)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2017, 10:00pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098/7 "2017-01-15T22:00:21Z")
Cervical traction may help,but it may be a little severe as an approach, how about cervical exercises under direction from a physical therapist of sorts, or even physical therapy full stop.
Cervical nerve blocks can and do relieve symptoms, in some cases. This however doesn’t treat the cause, but lower the inflammation in said area.
Inflammation is your bodies healing mechanism, so you might feel better but you want to address the cause.
I’d consider a positive reaction to a cervical nerve block as a very high indication of neck involvement. Address the neck issue, life style changes to aid inflammation.
The below link should be of interest, and if you search pubmed there are others, if you can’t find them ask, I’ll do my best.
> **[Occipital nerve block is effective in craniofacial neuralgias but not in...](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3311831/)**
>
> Occipital nerve block (ONB) has been used in several primary headache syndromes with good results. Information on its effects in facial pain is sparse. In this chart review, the efficacy of ONB using lidocaine and dexamethasone was evaluated in 20...
Wishing you well.
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### Author:  [@John787](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/John787)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098/8 "2017-01-15T23:23:50Z")
Yes I tried this many years ago for a pinched nerve in my neck. It helped while I was
lifting my head (took pressure of the pinched nerve). I had a laminectomy in 1995 from C3 to C7 . This stopped the sharp pains and numbness in my hands and loss of strength in my left arm.
Some doctors see a relationship between neck problems and TN.
John
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### Author:  [@anon37611625](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/anon37611625)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2017, 11:58pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098/9 "2017-01-15T23:58:02Z")
Hi John
Thanks.I had the neck MRI because with some meds I was developing numbness
in my hands at night.The MRI showed constrictions on both sides of my neck
from C2 to C4 but everything normal below [that.No](http://that.No) idea why the numbness in
the hands-unless I have very weirded up nerves.I hope you are well or at
least well controlled pain.
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### Author:  [@dee64](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/dee64)
#### Post date: [January 16, 2017, 12:46am UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/cervical-traction/13098/10 "2017-01-16T00:46:55Z")
yes,however if you have severe jaw pain ,it will really make it worse.I have TN2 & GPN ,compression of vertabra in neck better to have a pt treat .