Collarbone pain can be caused by fractures, injuries to surrounding areas, or more serious medical conditions like osteomyelitis. Treatment depends on the root problem, but most cases can be treated with rest and pain relievers, with surgery rarely necessary.
Collarbone pain can refer to any pain or feeling in the collarbone area. In most cases, collarbone pain is rooted in collarbone fractures, which can have many causes. Other cases of collarbone pain may be, more specifically, caused by indirect pain from an injury to something other than the collarbone. The acromioclavicular joint near the collarbone can be torn or otherwise damaged, returning pain to the collarbone, and this damage can be physical in nature or caused by arthritis. In other cases, shoulder damage is sometimes expressed as collarbone pain, and in more severe cases, osteomyelitis can infect the collarbone or shoulder area.
Clavicle fracture is by far the most common cause of collarbone pain, usually from some sort of hard physical blow or sustained stress on the collarbone. Individuals may experience additional shoulder bruising, swelling, and pain. It is possible to feel many cracks under the skin after the swelling subsides. Clavicle fractures are usually easily diagnosed through X-rays, and most patients should be able to recover well with rest and proper treatment. In most cases, the pain will subside after a few weeks on top of the pain relievers prescribed by your doctor, and a full recovery is usually expected within 12 weeks, rarely requiring surgery.
Referred collarbone pain can come from an injury to areas near the collarbone. Shoulder injuries as well as injuries to the muscle surrounding the collarbone all fall into this category and these root problems will need to be treated first. Also, the joint between the collarbone and shoulder blade, the acromioclavicular joint, can dislocate under a strong impact. It is also susceptible to tearing or damage, and individuals with this type of injury usually experience pain in the collarbone and shoulder, both when moving the arm and when it doesn’t move due to the weight of the rest of the arm. In addition to the physical damage, the acromioclavicular joint is also susceptible to arthritis. In these cases, the arthritis needs to be treated for the collarbone pain to subside.
In severe cases, collarbone pain can be a symptom of a more serious medical condition. Osteomyelitis refers to an infection of the bone marrow. In adults, it is more likely to occur due to some sort of injury severe enough to expose the bone to infection, and especially for those involved in sports, this type of injury can occur in the collarbone. Osteomyelitis can also be the secondary result of another primary disease, such as syphilis, fungal infections, or tuberculosis.
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