A single large bone that connects the arms to the shoulders is called as collar bone. Apart from connecting the arms it also safe guards several important nerves and blood vessels present beneath it. A broken collar bone is very common with children and athletes.
Causes for a broken collar bone:
- Children and athletes mostly injure their collar bones.
- In case of children the collar bone is very sensitive and can break even because of a small damage.
- For athletes it is may be because of a fall.
- In case of babies a collar bone may broke during the delivery.
Symptoms
- The following symptoms will indicate a broken collar bone.
- Sagging shoulder (down and forward)
- Experiencing while lifting an arm
- Experiencing a grinding sensation while lifting an arm
- Presence of any bumps on the collar bone
Diagnosis
A broken collar bone can be diagnosed by feeling a bump or swelling on the collar bone. An X-ray is a must to know the extent of the damage.
Treatment
A surgery is not required in most of the cases. Slings are generally required to be worn so that no pressure or movement disturbs the healing of the collar bone. This must be worn for about 3 to 4 weeks in case of children and 6 to 8 weeks in case of adults.
Acetaminophen, aspirin or ibuprofen or other analgesics are prescribed by the doctors to kill the pain.
Presence of a bump indicates that the collar bone is healing well. Disappearance of the bump occurs after the completion of the healing process.
It is generally advised that the patients should not perform any activities which involve the movement of the shoulder during the healing process.
If the damage is severe, then a surgery may be needed to replace the bone correctly. A surgery may also be needed in case of any damage to the skin.
