OTC Cervical Traction Kit, Neck Pain Relief, Vertebrae Disk Herniation, Complete Over Door Setup

I'm not going to post a photo because this thing squishes your face and makes you look pretty funny while you're strapped in, but... I LOVE THIS CONTRAPTION!!! I have a herniated disk (C5) which causes a great deal of pain on one side of my neck that radiates down my left arm. I've been in physically therapy for this issue on and off for years and the one thing that seems to do the most good when I see my PT is the traction machine. My insurance wouldn't approve a home traction unit and I can't afford the fancier ones myself, but this Traction Kit is everything I need and it didn't even come close to breaking the bank. :: Setup :: Getting things set up was fairly easy. It comes in 6 parts (the door hanger thing, the triangle shaped bracket with pulleys, a rope, the metal spreader bar, cotton/velcro head gear and the empty water bag). The instructions were well written and included photos so there's not much chance of doing things wrong. I didn't like that I had to tie the rope on both ends myself. It made me nervous but the knots I used appear to be holding firm. (The instructions have a drawing of a knot they recommend.) :: Use :: You can get hooked-up to use this without help but I'd recommend having someone to help get you into it, for sure the first few times at least. Once the bag is full of water its 15+ pounds pulling on your spine so it helps to have an assistant to let the bag fall gently once you're strapped in. Getting out is a lot easier because you can just grab the bar above your head and pull it down while you detach the head gear from the spreader bar (just D-rings in a notch, nothing fancy and doesn't require a lot of dexterity). It is a bit of a hassle to have this thing having on the door all day every day but that's mainly my fault and due to the fact that we just don't have a door we don't use. Still, it doesn't prevent us from using the door and technically, the manufacturer instructs you to empty the bag and take it down between uses... That's not realistic IMO because people using this have neck and back issues and filling/carrying/listing a 20 lb bag of water isn't on my list of recommended activities. I like the idea another reviewer had of attaching a 20lb kettle bell instead of using the water. I will probably try that as well. :: Results :: Amazingly, this $20 contraception provides as much relief from pain and numbness as the fancy-schmancy machine at my Physical Therapists office. It allows me to be more active in-between doctor visits because I know I have a source for relief at the end of the day. This has helped me reduce the amount of pain medications I take as well. Obviously, consult your doctor before messing with your neck and back, but once they've given the A-OK (mine did without batting an eye) strap yourself in and prepare to be pleasantly surprised!

It looks tortuous, but it does work. I've only used it three times and it seemed to improve my neck and shoulder pain. The drawback is that there are no directions provided on how to use it or how to assemble it, except for a tiny piece of paper that shows how to assemble the head harness. Thank goodness for the photo on Amazon that can be referred to in order to make sure it is assembled correctly. The first time I used it, I filled the bag with 8 pounds of water. That didn't seem to be enough counterweight to serve my purpose. So, I filled it up to 10 pounds and that is working well so far. I would suggest having someone help you fit the head harness and hook you up the first time. It's a bit of an ordeal the first time you try to put it on. After that, I have found that I can put on the harness and adjust everything myself. One other thing...I have only used it for ten minutes at a time. By that time, my jaw is hurting. I don't know if that is because I don't have the harness adjusted right somehow or if it's just because of the counterweight pressure. You will probably need to adjust as you go to get the most comfortable and best fit. I have seen my chiropractor once since using the traction kit and he could tell a difference in my adjustment because my head and neck were not hunched into my shoulders as usual. And that's a good thing!

It works! Two 15 min. Uses, only filled bag half full to start and my neck & back feel much better already! Amazon delivered this in record time. I am Grateful! Lucille

Pain to hook up, but it works

This stupid thing can't be returned. The "halter" they propose to put around your neck was built incorrectly. It will strangle you if you use it. This is a medical device. I'm reporting it as defective.

This thing is a pain in the neck, lol! Not really, but it helps with my pain in the neck after having cervical spine surgery (quite a while after recovery, didn’t want to mess up with the neurosurgeon fixed.

I usually don't go out of my way to leave negative reviews, however, in this instance I feel like I should. Years ago, we had one of these traction devices and it worked well. Sadly, along the years it has been misplaced or borrowed or whatever. It cannot be found so I looked on Amazon for one like it. This unit "looks" exactly like the one we had back in the day. However, when it arrived it was immediately obvious that it's not nearly the same quality of the one we had previously. The old one had steel pulleys and a rigid frame. This unit has plastic pulleys and the frame is far from rigid. Even the rope is questionable as it stretches A LOT! I mounted it to the door and filled the bag to the 10# mark and between the rope stretching and the frame bending, I just don't believe it will hold up if I need to fill it to the 20# mark. And to add to that, I think I must have ordered a "child" size unit because regardless of what we tried, there is no way my big head is going to fit in that harness. Yes, I have a big head - lol - but this harness doesn't even come close. When my grandson comes to visit I want to try to fit it on him but I am seriously doubtful it will fit him. Like I said, I don't leave negative reviews often but this item has left me very disappointed. I was really counting on this working to alleviate my neck pain and now, the only way I'll be able to use it is to fabricate some extension straps that will allow me to fit this to my big head - lol. If I'm able to make it work, and it doesn't fail structurally, I will update this and give it more stars. The design is good - in my opinion it is identical to the one we had - but the materials used are inferior - no doubt to increase profit. I get it. But I'd have been willing to pay double or triple to get the same quality as my previous unit.

Very effective, although it takes regular use (once or twice daily for week or two) and experimentation with seating position. One warning from my experience: relief was not immediate, it took 3-4 days before I started getting the relief I expected, and a couple weeks or regular use to achieve total relief. Cervical traction kit was recommended by my chiropractor who gave me several tips on use: - Sit facing the door - Place your chair slightly off center, away from the side that is most painful - Work the weight up gradually (I've gone from about 1/2 full bag initially to full bag) - Work the time up gradually (from 4-6 minutes to 15-16 minutes) - Put the strap on your head first - Set water bag on your lap, then hook head strap to bar, then hook water bag up - Keep timer/smartphone close by--within easy reach--to set timer, etc. It is a bit awkward and the first couple of times you may want to have someone assist you, however, once you've done it a few times if you are careful and deliberate you can do it by yourself unassisted.

Excelente le ha ayudado mucho a mi mamá para sus cervicales

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I was recommended to get this type of product. Bottom line? - It works, and very well. It is easy to determine the weight, as the bag contains marked lines indicating the weight of the water inside. The product is super easy to use, anytime it's needed, it easily hooks on the top of a door, and I can sit and relax. The set-up instructions were simple to understand. It takes a few minutes only to set up or pack away, and I can take it anywhere. This product has saved me money, whilst providing traction physio. OTC Over Door Cervical Traction Kit, Complete

👍

The product quality is very good same as shown in pictures but the delivery over third party(Aramex) is headache. The delivery boy don’t approach me before coming. He come very early in the morning and call me once. After he drop my parcel to nearest store. If I have to collect it from store so why you mention the delivery charges etc. And The Aramex don’t even respond to my complaint. Not satisfied from delivery over third party. Thanks