The holidays are over. The decorations are packed away. Life is back to normal, or at least it’s supposed to be.
But for many people, January is when the pain finally shows up.
We see it every year. Patients walk through our doors thinking their accident was “no big deal” weeks ago, only to realize something still isn’t right once routines return. Adrenaline fades, work starts again, and suddenly the aches they ignored become impossible to ignore.
Here are the injuries we treat most often at the start of the year.
Neck Pain That Just Won’t Quit
Whiplash is one of the most misunderstood injuries. Even a low-speed collision can stretch muscles and ligaments beyond their normal range.
At first, it may feel like stiffness or a mild ache. By January, it often turns into limited movement, headaches, and sharp pain when turning the head. Many people assume it’s from sleeping wrong or stress, never connecting it back to the accident.
Headaches That Feel Like Migraines
Post-accident headaches are extremely common, especially after rear-end collisions. Tension in the neck and upper spine can restrict blood flow and irritate nerves, triggering headaches that come and go without warning.
If your headaches didn’t exist before the accident, that’s an important clue that your body is still healing.
Low Back Pain That Gets Worse With Sitting
Returning to work often means sitting at a desk, driving longer distances, or lifting more than usual. These everyday movements can reveal lower-back injuries that didn’t seem serious at first.
What feels like “tightness” in December can become persistent pain by mid-January.
Shoulder and Arm Pain You Can’t Explain
After an accident, many people unconsciously brace themselves, tensing their shoulders and arms. Over time, that tension can cause pain that travels down the arms, limits mobility, or makes simple tasks uncomfortable.
It’s not uncommon for these symptoms to appear weeks after the collision.
The Injury You Didn’t Know You Had
Perhaps the most common January complaint is this: “I didn’t feel this at first, but now something feels off.”
That’s because adrenaline masks pain. Your body’s emergency response keeps you moving through the initial shock. When that wears off and routines resume, the true extent of injuries becomes clear.
Why January Is When Healing Starts
The new year doesn’t magically fix what your body went through. It simply gives you the space to finally notice it.
At All Health Chiropractic, we help accident victims understand what’s really happening beneath the surface and guide them toward real recovery, not just temporary relief.
Contact us today, because your body didn’t reset on January 1st, and it deserves the care it needs to heal properly.
