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Seatbelts have saved countless lives during major auto accidents. Over the years, the designs for seatbelts have been modified and improved, but the purpose of seatbelts has not changed: they are intended to keep drivers and occupants in place to prevent a physical collision with the interior of the car.

When a collision occurs, the force of impact against another car or object may stop the vehicle itself, but the body remains moving at the previous speed. This results in a dangerous situation in which passengers may come in violent contact with the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield. The seatbelt is instrumental in holding occupants in place and minimizing the potential for injury.

While seatbelts save lives, they can also be the cause of certain auto accident injuries, even when they are fastened and functioning properly. After a traumatic accident, seatbelts may have prevented more serious consequences, but can also cause acute pain in the neck, shoulders, chest, abdomen, and back.

Shoulder injuries, for example, are usually the result of wearing the seatbelt’s shoulder strap, in which the jerking motion of the accident leads to pain in that area. The chest is also affected by seatbelts; chest pain may be a warning sign of more serious injuries such as broken ribs or a fractured sternum.

The use of lap belts can cause trauma to the spine (particularly the lumbar spine, or lower back), which can lead to various symptoms in different areas of the body. Sciatica, for example, can result from trauma to the lumbar spine and may be experienced as pain in the lower back, buttock, thigh, calf, and foot. Some patients may have muscle weakness and numbness and/or tingling. Other conditions that can be caused by trauma while wearing a seatbelt are herniated or bulged discs or muscle pain.

Auto Accident Injury Program for Seatbelt Injuries in Monmouth County

The first step in treating any auto accident injury is to diagnose the exact cause of pain and other symptoms. We have an on-staff medical doctor specializing in pain management and rehabilitation for the types of musculoskeletal and neurological conditions that may be caused by auto accidents.

Once a diagnosis has been made, our medical doctor will create and oversee a program of rehabilitation that may include a number of different treatment modalities. Our pain management office is different from other medical practices in that we incorporate physical therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, and chiropractic care in one location. This makes the rehabilitation process easier and more effective for auto accident injury patients.

Medical Care: As part of the diagnostic process, our Red Bank, NJ pain management office has incorporated several diagnostic imaging techniques, including traditional x-ray, ultrasound, Electrodiagnostic Nerve Testing, and fluoroscopy. Following diagnosis, conservative programs of pain management and rehabilitation are begun. Our office is dedicated to using the least invasive practices (physical therapy, acupuncture, etc.) whenever possible to minimize drug use and other stresses on the body.

Some patients require more aggressive strategies for reducing pain; for such patients, our medical doctor may recommend and perform a number of minimally invasive injections involving corticosteroids (for long-lasting pain relief) and anesthetic numbing agents (for more immediate results).

Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is a major part of the recovery process for many auto accident injuries, including those injuries caused by seatbelts. Our physical therapy team (as with all practitioners at Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation) works in close collaboration with the medical doctor and other health care specialists in our office.

For Monmouth County seatbelt injury patients, physical therapy may include active rehabilitation practices such as therapeutic exercise. In some cases, Power Plate full body vibration may be used to increase the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise. Spinal Decompression is another tool used to relieve the pressure on nerves that may be causing pain and other symptoms. Other physical therapy techniques may include the use of Low Level Laser Therapy, Ultrasound, Electrotherapy, Hot and Cold Therapies, and Kinesio Taping.

Acupuncture: As part of a commitment to providing healthy pain management strategies, acupuncture is often used as part of a program of pain management. For auto accident injury patients, acupuncture is particularly useful in that it can address both pain and the stress and anxiety that sometimes affect auto accident victims. As part of a healthy pain management programs, many patients find that acupuncture helps to reduce the need for painkilling medications.

Chiropractic: Seatbelt injuries can cause trauma to the spine; when the spine is negatively affected, the result is not only pain but general disorder of the nervous system. Thus, auto accident injuries may have much further-reaching consequences than most people would imagine. Chiropractic care at Monmouth Pain and Rehab for seatbelt injuries may use both traditional as well as the latest in cutting-edge chiropractic techniques. As such, our Chiropractic Doctors work to ensure the total health of the spine, thereby relieving pain and averting further health conditions.

Pain Management and Rehabilitation for Seatbelt Injuries at Monmouth Pain and Rehab

Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation would like to remind readers that wearing a seatbelt is mandatory by law in the State of New Jersey—and for very good reason. It’s important to buckle up and drive carefully. However, if you have recently been in a car crash and are suffering from any injury to the abdomen or chest (or are in pain from any other type of auto accident injury) please contact our Red Bank, NJ pain management office for help.