A No-Cost, Bedside, Self-Traction Maneuver for Relief From Chronic Cervical Radiculopathy: A Case Report

Cervical radiculopathy secondary to spondylosis is common in the elderly. Systematic reviews suggest that no single treatment modality represents the standard of care. A no-cost, bedside, self-traction intervention can be a useful adjunct to current options. A 60-year-old South Asian male presented with severe cervical radiculopathic pain in April 2019, proven by magnetic resonance imaging to be secondary to spondylosis. Since late 2019, he has been doing a daily self-traction procedure in which he lies prone with the anterior chest and abdomen flat on a bed, shoulders just off the mattress edge, and arms to the side. The position is maintained for 60 seconds, where the weight of the head provides traction. Overhead cervical traction has not been needed for the past three years, and the pain has been bearable. His Neck Disability Index has decreased from 25 to 2. This no-cost, minute-long daily maneuver has provided relief from chronic cervical neuropathic pain due to cervical spondylosis.