Broken collarbone

A broken collarbone is a break (fracture) in the long, slightly curved bone that connects your shoulder to your chest. Moving your arm may be painful. Most broken collarbones heal on their own. It may take 6 weeks or longer. You'll need to use a sling while it heals.

Symptoms of a broken collarbone include:

• Immediate pain after falling or being hit on the collarbone or in the shoulder area.
• Inability to raise the affected arm because of pain.
• A grinding feeling when trying to lift the affected arm.

The affected shoulder does not always appear out of position. But if a deformity is present, it appears as a bump or swelling along the collarbone or at the AC joint. The bone rarely breaks through the skin. But it may push the skin out, causing it to have a tent-shaped look.

A broken collarbone usually is not a serious injury. In rare cases, a broken collarbone can injure a lung or rib or pinch nerves or blood vessels. This may cause the arm to turn pale, tingle, and feel cool or numb.

Many broken collarbones heal on their own. If you don't need surgery, you will use a sling to keep your arm and shoulder from moving while the bone heals. You will probably use the sling for at least 3 to 4 weeks. Sometimes a figure-8 strap is used instead of a sling.

You can begin simple exercises immediately and move on to strengthening exercises when they don't cause pain. Ask your doctor when it is safe to begin to exercise or play sports. If you start too soon, the broken collarbone may not heal well.

To help relieve pain, try acetaminophen or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen or naproxen. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.

Surgery may be recommended for severe breaks. When the ends of the broken bone do not line up with each other (displaced), surgery is more likely. Many experts believe surgery is especially important in young, active people.

After surgery, you will use a sling for up to 6 weeks. Your doctor or physical therapist will teach you gentle exercises to keep your shoulder moving for about 6 weeks, until you can start exercises to get your strength back. Most people have returned to all their activities by about 3 months after surgery.

• Wear the sling day and night for as long as your doctor tells you to. You may take off the sling when you bathe. When the sling is off, avoid arm positions or motions that cause or increase pain.
• Put ice or a cold pack on your collarbone for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days (when you are awake) or until the swelling goes down. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.
• Be safe with medicines. Take pain medicines exactly as directed.
  • If the doctor gave you a prescription medicine for pain, take it as prescribed.
  • If you are not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter medicine.
  • Do not take two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the doctor told you to. Many pain medicines have acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be harmful.
• Try sleeping with pillows propped under your arm for comfort.
• After a few days, put your fingers, wrist, and elbow through their full range of motion several times a day. This will keep them from getting stiff. You may get instructions on rehabilitation exercises you can do when your shoulder starts to heal.
• You may use warm packs after the first 3 days for 15 to 20 minutes at a time to ease pain.
• You may notice a bump where the collarbone is broken. Over time, the bump will get smaller. A small bump may remain, but it should not affect your arm's strength or movement.