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!

A little confusing on how to wear it, easy to set up but it sucks trying to find a door to sit under for your time. The bag is hard to dry out after use and the cord that comes with it is pretty long. Not sure if I should double it up or just tie it like I did the first time. Other than that it’s not bad, helped relieve some of the pressure off my nerve that’s compressed and eased my headache on just 6lbs of water. Definitely not bad for the price

We ordered this so we could do traction at home instead of paying $200 per visit to the PT department at the hospital. Our therapist told us what to buy and this was the best price. We were told to use only 12 lbs of water at first. This was challenging because the water makers on this bag are not accurate. They have to be accurate for traction. You can not be over or under the right amount of weight. I wanted to weigh the bag so I could get it right but I could not get the bag to stay still enough for that. It would just fall of the scale! We estimated the weight of water per gallon and added water until it was right. You can tell if it is right when you use the device. Once that was right, it seemed the extension arm kept popping loose out of the hole that it is supposed to rest in. It makes a loud noise and this is no fun when this happens while your head is in traction. Eventually this resolved itself and the arm stays where it is supposed to now. This is a two man job. There is no way you could safely do this by yourself. You can tell if the chin strap is in the right position because it hurts if it is not. We did place the bag of water in a plastic pail so we could avoid any leaks. You do have to use this over a metal door. We have been using this for six months and it is easier now. It looks really barbaric but it works. We are up to 17 lbs and it seems to work fine.

Used for disc pain in neck it did not work i had to have surgery for herniated disc pushing on spinal cord i gave it a try but no relief but surgery was a success praise the lord . And i wiil add to my honest review that i am pain free 11 years later no more pain wish i would of had surgery sooner

You get what you pay for......but this was just to try and see if the concept of a cervical traction kit would work for me. The arm that supports the head harness is plastic while the door bracket and pulleys are metal, go figure. God forbid if you twist it sideways in any way. The string, and I say string, that they supply is not much more than a boot lace. In fact, I think I will replace it with a boot lace. At least the boot lace will not stretch as the string supplied does [I see problems developing there]. The concept works, but do not expect this to last a long time. Too cheaply made. I will be investing in a better made product. Hey, I could make better on my own. I think I will.

GOOD PRODUCT - BUT BE CAREFUL. YOU CAN HURT YOURSELF.If you have problems with TMJ don't use this product!If you use it too much you may have TMJ by the time you are done.The more expensive products to do this do not put pressure on the jaw and teeth -- and are more effective - and cost $100s ($500 up) - so there is always a trade off.Ask your doctor about how he/she feels about your using it. I recommend that if you have any major health problems you do not use this -- never use it alone -- Once in there it is hard to get out without sudden jerking -- and it is hard to get the jaw velcro correct. The velcro can come undone and cause a sudden jerk. Also - when they say 20 lbs max - think twice about using that 20 lbs. Again -NEVER USE THIS ALONE. HAVE SOMEONE HELP YOU. If you have serious health problems, do not use - go see a physician and have him/her prescribe a method of use (even for this product) or in office traction with a DO or other.