tracation

Traction is when they stretch your spine, usually by pulling on your head. It helps me temporarily, it really help to alleviate the pressure on my disks. Some say it can help heal a herniated disk, but it didn't help with mine.
Here is a more technical explanation of what it does: http://www.spinalaid.com/decomanim.htm

Pain meds help to mask the pain, but it won't fix it. Are you on pain meds now? Are you asking if taking pain meds while going doing physical therapy helps the pt work better?

Post Edited (03Mach) : 4/16/2008 7:15:15 AM (GMT-6)

Dear Kara,

I was put in traction many many years ago after hurting my back while pushing a car. To be clear this was about 30 years ago and it involved being in the hospital where they placed a belt type thing around my waist that was connected to weights. I was like that for about a week when my legs began to hurt after more tests they found that the traction had caused blood clots in my legs I was about 17 at the time and it was scary to me. Now I'm sure things have changed a lot in the ensuing years and is quite different now.

The last time I was in pt my therapist accomplished basically the same thing by evening me out so to say by pulling gently on my left leg untill it was even with my right and it did help, temporarilly. I taught my sister how to do it for me and when I feel that pain she does it for me and I'm ok again for a little while. As for pain meds and Soma I asked my therapist if it was better to take them before or after my session and she said to take my pain meds  and then take the Soma when I got home. That worked for me. Hope this has been a little helpfull for you Kara, we are all pulling for you so good luck and I'm out.   Toritoo