L'auto-trazione è un trattamento meccanico delle lombosciatalgie. Il paziente stesso si tira afferrandosi al telaio di uno speciale tavolo di trazione che consente anche una selettiva mobilizzazione tridimensionale del rachide lombare.
Diversi studi concordano nel riferire che in 3–10 sedute di mezz'ora, anche ambulatoriali, si può ottenere una stabile remissione del dolore nel 25–100% dei casi di ernia discale verificata con TC o mielografia (47% nella nostra esperienza). Non si sono mai registrati effetti collaterali significativi.
L'auto-trazione potrebbe quindi essere proposta come approccio di routine all'ernia del disco lombare prima di eventuali trattamenti invasivi.
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