Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFractures and BreaksAcromioclavicular (AC) Joint SeparationDistal Clavicle OsteolysisArthritisThoracic Outlet SyndromeCancerOsteomyelitisCondensing OsteitisAt-Home TreatmentWhen to Get Help

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Fractures and Breaks

Acromioclavicular (AC) Joint Separation

Distal Clavicle Osteolysis

Arthritis

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Cancer

Osteomyelitis

Condensing Osteitis

At-Home Treatment

When to Get Help

The collarbone forms the sternoclavicular joint with the sternum (breastbone) at one end and the acromioclavicular joint with the acromion (part of the shoulder blade) at the other end.

Some of the reasons for collarbone pain may resolve on their own, but often you will need to see a healthcare provider to be treated properly.

Common causes of clavicle pain.

Collarbone fracturesare very common, accounting for 5% to 10% of all bone breaks.This type of injury often results from a fall in which you land on your arm or shoulder. It can also happen if you get into an accident, like a car crash.

Signs of a broken collarbone include:

To treat a broken collarbone, your healthcare provider will most likely place your arm in a sling or collar and cuff, immobilizing the area so it can heal. Pain medication such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) is often used.

Surgery may be recommended if the pieces of bone are significantly out of position. This involves using screws with plates or pins to hold the pieces of bone in place. Surgery involves some risks of infection and nerve damage.

Theacromioclavicular(AC) joint is a joint between your clavicle and the outermost edge of your scapula (shoulder blade). Ligaments hold these two bones together. There is also a flexiblecartilagedisc.

Direct impact to the shoulder or arm affects the scapula at the AC joint and can separate the collarbone from the scapula causing injuries to the ligaments. There are six types of AC joint injuries depending on which ligaments are injured and the severity of the ligament injuries. Injuries like this to the AC joint are common among young athletes.

The range of motion for the shoulder may not be affected, but you may notice the following symptoms withAC joint injuries:

Symptoms include pain at the end of the clavicle near the shoulder. It is usually felt during activity. However, tenderness and swelling can occur even after activity is stopped.

Treatment for distal clavicle osteolysis usually incorporates rest,ice application, over-the-counternonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) like Advil (ibuprofen) and Aleve (naproxen), activity modification (avoiding painful weight lifting exercises) and sometimes cortisone injections.Modifying hand position to have hands closer together while doing bench presses and push-ups may help.

The cartilage on the ends of the bones gradually wears away, and the space between the bones decreases. This may cause pain and stiffness in the SC joint.

Thoracicoutlet syndrome(TOS) is a general term for three conditions that affect the space between the collarbone and first rib (the thoracic outlet).

Symptoms vary depending on the type of TOS that you have:

Physical therapyis usually prescribed to treat TOS.NSAIDs are also recommended to ease pain and inflammation. Surgery is also an option for some types of TOS.

In rare instances, clavicle pain can be a symptom of one of these types of cancer.

Depending on the type of cancer and the stage, treatment may involve surgery,chemotherapy, radiation, or targeted therapy.

Osteomyelitisis a bone infection that can occur ifbacteria or fungiget inside your body.

Causes of osteomyelitis include:

The symptoms of osteomyelitis may include pain, joint warmth, and swelling.

Treating the infection usually requires four to six weeks of intravenous antibiotic infusions.Surgery may be done to remove any dead tissue or dead pieces of bone from the infected area.

Condensingosteitisis a rare condition that can cause pain and swelling at the end of the collarbone near the breastbone. It isbenign(not cancerous) and does not spread to other areas of the body.

The condition has no known cause. The treatment usually includes antibiotics.

At-Home Treatment and First Aid

The treatment for collarbone pain will depend on what’s causing it. In some cases, treatment can be done at home before you see your provider or go to urgent care.

If your collarbone pain is from a muscle injury or sprain, you may also try rest and ice.

How Long to IceDo noticefor longer than 20 minutes at a time. Also, do not place ice or gel packs directly on your skin; use a towel or cloth in between.

How Long to Ice

Do noticefor longer than 20 minutes at a time. Also, do not place ice or gel packs directly on your skin; use a towel or cloth in between.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

Pain in your collarbone is not always serious, but see a healthcare provider anytime the pain is sudden and severe because there may be injuries to the bone or ligaments.

You should seek immediateemergency medical careif:

While collarbone pain is not directly related to a heart issue, a heart attack can cause referred pain (experienced in a different place than where it originates) that is felt at the collarbone.

Summary

Treatment of your collarbone pain depends on the cause. Immobilization, over-the-counter medication, and physical therapy are common ways to manage collarbone injuries. Surgery may also be needed.

19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DeFroda S, Lemme N, Kleiner J, et al.Incidence and mechanism of injury of clavicle fractures in the NEISS database: Athletic and nonathletic injuries.J Clin Orthop. Traum. 2019;10(5):954-958. doi:10.1016/j.jcot.2019.01.019Hoogervorst P, van Schie P, van den Bekerom MP.Midshaft clavicle fractures: Current concepts.EFORT Open Rev. 2018;3(6):374-380. Published 2018 Jun 20. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.3.170033American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: OrthoInfo.Clavicle fracture (broken collarbone).Albishi W, AlShayhan F, Alfridy A, Alaseem A, Elmaraghy A.Acromioclavicular joint separation: Controversies and treatment algorithm.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2024;16:94037. Published 2024 Feb 22. doi:10.52965/001c.94037DeFroda SF, Nacca C, Waryasz GR, Owens BD.Diagnosis and Management of Distal Clavicle Osteolysis.Orthopedics. 2017;40(2):119‐124. doi:10.3928/01477447-20161128-03Ha AS, Petscavage-Thomas JM, Tagoylo GH.Acromioclavicular Joint: The Other Joint in the Shoulder.AJR Am J Roentgen. 2014; Feb;202:375-85. doi:10.2214/AJR.13.11460American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sternoclavicular (sc) joint disorders.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Thoracic outlet syndrome.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.Garrido DG, Cañizares AP, Bisaccia M, Meccariello L, Delgado EF.Pathological clavicle fracture as the first symptom of lung cancer.J Orthop Case Rep. 2020;10(2):54-57. doi:10.13107/jocr.2020.v10.i02.1694National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: bone and joint cancer.Walter N, Bärtl S, Alt V, Rupp M.The Epidemiology of Osteomyelitis in Children.Children (Basel). 2021 Nov 3;8(11):1000. doi: 10.3390/children8111000National Organization for Rare Disorders.Osteomyelitis.MedlinePlus.Osteomyelitis.Andreacchio A, Marengo L, Canavese F.Condensing osteitis of the clavicle in children.World J Orthop. 2016;7(8):494-500.  doi:10.5312/wjo.v7.i8.494Mount Sinai.How to make a sling.University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine.Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE).Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.When to call 911.U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About heart attack symptoms, risk, and recovery.

19 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.DeFroda S, Lemme N, Kleiner J, et al.Incidence and mechanism of injury of clavicle fractures in the NEISS database: Athletic and nonathletic injuries.J Clin Orthop. Traum. 2019;10(5):954-958. doi:10.1016/j.jcot.2019.01.019Hoogervorst P, van Schie P, van den Bekerom MP.Midshaft clavicle fractures: Current concepts.EFORT Open Rev. 2018;3(6):374-380. Published 2018 Jun 20. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.3.170033American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: OrthoInfo.Clavicle fracture (broken collarbone).Albishi W, AlShayhan F, Alfridy A, Alaseem A, Elmaraghy A.Acromioclavicular joint separation: Controversies and treatment algorithm.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2024;16:94037. Published 2024 Feb 22. doi:10.52965/001c.94037DeFroda SF, Nacca C, Waryasz GR, Owens BD.Diagnosis and Management of Distal Clavicle Osteolysis.Orthopedics. 2017;40(2):119‐124. doi:10.3928/01477447-20161128-03Ha AS, Petscavage-Thomas JM, Tagoylo GH.Acromioclavicular Joint: The Other Joint in the Shoulder.AJR Am J Roentgen. 2014; Feb;202:375-85. doi:10.2214/AJR.13.11460American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sternoclavicular (sc) joint disorders.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Thoracic outlet syndrome.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.Garrido DG, Cañizares AP, Bisaccia M, Meccariello L, Delgado EF.Pathological clavicle fracture as the first symptom of lung cancer.J Orthop Case Rep. 2020;10(2):54-57. doi:10.13107/jocr.2020.v10.i02.1694National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: bone and joint cancer.Walter N, Bärtl S, Alt V, Rupp M.The Epidemiology of Osteomyelitis in Children.Children (Basel). 2021 Nov 3;8(11):1000. doi: 10.3390/children8111000National Organization for Rare Disorders.Osteomyelitis.MedlinePlus.Osteomyelitis.Andreacchio A, Marengo L, Canavese F.Condensing osteitis of the clavicle in children.World J Orthop. 2016;7(8):494-500.  doi:10.5312/wjo.v7.i8.494Mount Sinai.How to make a sling.University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine.Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE).Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.When to call 911.U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About heart attack symptoms, risk, and recovery.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

DeFroda S, Lemme N, Kleiner J, et al.Incidence and mechanism of injury of clavicle fractures in the NEISS database: Athletic and nonathletic injuries.J Clin Orthop. Traum. 2019;10(5):954-958. doi:10.1016/j.jcot.2019.01.019Hoogervorst P, van Schie P, van den Bekerom MP.Midshaft clavicle fractures: Current concepts.EFORT Open Rev. 2018;3(6):374-380. Published 2018 Jun 20. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.3.170033American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: OrthoInfo.Clavicle fracture (broken collarbone).Albishi W, AlShayhan F, Alfridy A, Alaseem A, Elmaraghy A.Acromioclavicular joint separation: Controversies and treatment algorithm.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2024;16:94037. Published 2024 Feb 22. doi:10.52965/001c.94037DeFroda SF, Nacca C, Waryasz GR, Owens BD.Diagnosis and Management of Distal Clavicle Osteolysis.Orthopedics. 2017;40(2):119‐124. doi:10.3928/01477447-20161128-03Ha AS, Petscavage-Thomas JM, Tagoylo GH.Acromioclavicular Joint: The Other Joint in the Shoulder.AJR Am J Roentgen. 2014; Feb;202:375-85. doi:10.2214/AJR.13.11460American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sternoclavicular (sc) joint disorders.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Thoracic outlet syndrome.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.Garrido DG, Cañizares AP, Bisaccia M, Meccariello L, Delgado EF.Pathological clavicle fracture as the first symptom of lung cancer.J Orthop Case Rep. 2020;10(2):54-57. doi:10.13107/jocr.2020.v10.i02.1694National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: bone and joint cancer.Walter N, Bärtl S, Alt V, Rupp M.The Epidemiology of Osteomyelitis in Children.Children (Basel). 2021 Nov 3;8(11):1000. doi: 10.3390/children8111000National Organization for Rare Disorders.Osteomyelitis.MedlinePlus.Osteomyelitis.Andreacchio A, Marengo L, Canavese F.Condensing osteitis of the clavicle in children.World J Orthop. 2016;7(8):494-500.  doi:10.5312/wjo.v7.i8.494Mount Sinai.How to make a sling.University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine.Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE).Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.When to call 911.U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About heart attack symptoms, risk, and recovery.

DeFroda S, Lemme N, Kleiner J, et al.Incidence and mechanism of injury of clavicle fractures in the NEISS database: Athletic and nonathletic injuries.J Clin Orthop. Traum. 2019;10(5):954-958. doi:10.1016/j.jcot.2019.01.019

Hoogervorst P, van Schie P, van den Bekerom MP.Midshaft clavicle fractures: Current concepts.EFORT Open Rev. 2018;3(6):374-380. Published 2018 Jun 20. doi:10.1302/2058-5241.3.170033

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: OrthoInfo.Clavicle fracture (broken collarbone).

Albishi W, AlShayhan F, Alfridy A, Alaseem A, Elmaraghy A.Acromioclavicular joint separation: Controversies and treatment algorithm.Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2024;16:94037. Published 2024 Feb 22. doi:10.52965/001c.94037

DeFroda SF, Nacca C, Waryasz GR, Owens BD.Diagnosis and Management of Distal Clavicle Osteolysis.Orthopedics. 2017;40(2):119‐124. doi:10.3928/01477447-20161128-03

Ha AS, Petscavage-Thomas JM, Tagoylo GH.Acromioclavicular Joint: The Other Joint in the Shoulder.AJR Am J Roentgen. 2014; Feb;202:375-85. doi:10.2214/AJR.13.11460

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sternoclavicular (sc) joint disorders.

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Thoracic outlet syndrome.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Garrido DG, Cañizares AP, Bisaccia M, Meccariello L, Delgado EF.Pathological clavicle fracture as the first symptom of lung cancer.J Orthop Case Rep. 2020;10(2):54-57. doi:10.13107/jocr.2020.v10.i02.1694

National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: bone and joint cancer.

Walter N, Bärtl S, Alt V, Rupp M.The Epidemiology of Osteomyelitis in Children.Children (Basel). 2021 Nov 3;8(11):1000. doi: 10.3390/children8111000

National Organization for Rare Disorders.Osteomyelitis.

MedlinePlus.Osteomyelitis.

Andreacchio A, Marengo L, Canavese F.Condensing osteitis of the clavicle in children.World J Orthop. 2016;7(8):494-500.  doi:10.5312/wjo.v7.i8.494

Mount Sinai.How to make a sling.

University of Michigan Health, Michigan Medicine.Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE).

Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters.When to call 911.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About heart attack symptoms, risk, and recovery.

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