You walked away from the accident feeling fine. That is actually the part that concerns us most. Adrenaline and the body's acute stress response suppress pain in the hours immediately following a collision, while inflammation builds steadily beneath the surface. By the time real symptoms appear, the window for optimal early treatment has already begun to close.

At TLC Chiropractic, Dr. Dean DePice has been evaluating and treating auto accident injuries, including whiplash, for patients across Willow Grove and Montgomery County since 1987. Come in before you assume you are fine.

Common Causes of Auto Accident Injuries 

Even low-speed collisions produce forces that the spine and soft tissues are not designed to absorb without damage. Common injury mechanisms include:

• Rapid cervical flexion-extension: the head is thrown forward and snapped back faster than the muscles can react, straining the ligaments, discs, and joints of the neck beyond their normal range
• Force transmitted through the whole spine: rear-end collisions do not just affect the neck. The impact travels through the lumbar spine as well, often creating low back injuries that go unnoticed initially
• Soft tissue tears: ligaments stretched past their limit lead to joint instability that persists long after the initial soreness has faded
• Disc compression or displacement: the forces involved in even a moderate collision can compress or shift cervical or lumbar discs into contact with nearby nerve roots
• Delayed symptom onset: inflammation builds over 24 to 72 hours, which means the full picture of the injury often does not appear until days after the accident

Symptoms Related to Auto Accident Injuries 

If you have been in a car accident and notice any of the following, come in for an evaluation before assuming it will pass on its own:

• Neck stiffness or pain that limits how far you can turn your head
• Headaches, particularly those originating at the base of the skull
• Tension or aching across the upper back and between the shoulder blades
• Numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arms or hands
• Difficulty concentrating, feeling foggy, or unusual fatigue after the accident
• Lower back pain, even in rear-end collisions

Waiting allows scar tissue to form and inflammation to entrench. The sooner care starts, the better the outcome.

Services We Provide for Auto Accident Injury Recovery

At TLC Chiropractic, we provide thorough, documented care designed for post-accident recovery:

• Chiropractic Adjustments
• Traction and Stretching
• Massage Therapy
• Spinal and Postural Screenings