The collarbone consists of two paired bones located above the first rib and connecting the upper limbs of a person to the rest of the body. It performs several important functions, providing the necessary range of motion to the arm and transmitting physical impulses from the arms to the axial skeleton. Pain in the collarbone can occur due to injury, but in addition it can be caused by diseases of the internal organs and the musculoskeletal system.
If you have pain under your collarbone or between your collarbones, if the pain is localized on the right or left side, don’t tolerate it! Contact the CELT Pain Clinic, and our specialists will find out the reason why it occurs and prescribe effective treatment. We have modern equipment for diagnostics and treatment, which will definitely help you!
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Causes of pain in the collarbone
As already mentioned, the causes of pain in the collarbone can be caused by injuries to the bone itself, as well as pathological processes in the spine or shoulder joint.
Clavicle injuries
Patients often complain that their left or right collarbone in the shoulder joint area hurts. If the appearance of such symptoms was preceded by a blow to the bone, to the sternum, or a fall on an outstretched arm, then the cause may be a fracture of the collarbone. With this injury, there is a displacement of the central bone fragment back and up, and the peripheral one - inward and downward. Painful sensations are accompanied by:
- hemorrhage;
- local swelling;
- visually visible displacement of fragments.
Joint displacement
Pain between the collarbones can occur due to misalignment of the clavicular joints. Since the clavicle has two ends (acromial and sternal), dislocations can occur at both ends:
- dislocations of the acromial end are much more common and are felt by painful symptoms, which intensify when trying to put pressure on the protruding end of the clavicle;
- Dislocations of the sternal end are usually characterized by pain in the area of the sternoclavicular joint, which is deformed, and swelling. There may be a protrusion of the end of the clavicle when dislocated forward or its retraction when dislocated backward.
Spinal diseases
Spinal diseases are often accompanied by compression of the nerve roots of the cervical spine. If the 3rd root is pinched, pain symptoms are accompanied by numbness in the area behind the ear and enlargement of the tongue. Compression of the 4th root is characterized by pain in the heart, difficulty swallowing, hiccups, and a feeling of a lump in the throat.
Brachial plexus neuralgia
Pain under and in the collarbone on the left side can be caused by diseases such as neuralgia of the ribs or brachial plexus. It is felt during inhalation/exhalation and is accompanied by:
- intense heartbeat;
- false pain in the heart.
Shoulder periarthritis
Inflammatory processes in the capsule of the shoulder joint, as well as in nearby tendons and ligaments, lead to pain directly in the joint and its irradiation to the collarbone. As a rule, unpleasant sensations occur for no reason at night.
More about shoulder periarthritis
Diseases of internal organs
In addition to the above, projection pain in the right clavicle can occur due to liver or gallbladder diseases. Pathological processes in the stomach and pancreas may be accompanied by radiating pain in the left collarbone. With angina pectoris and myocardial infarction, bursting pain occurs, radiating to the left collarbone
Shoulder joint of the left hand: diagnosis and treatment
The shoulder joint is the most movable joint of the bones of the shoulder and scapula, which connects the free part of the upper limb with its belt. This is the loosest joint of the musculoskeletal system of the body, providing the human hand with the greatest freedom of movement.
Causes of pain and symptoms
Injuries and pathologies of the joints/tendons lead to pain in the shoulder. The pain increases or decreases, and subsequently blocks the joint. The patient will not be able to move his arm.
osteochondrosis of the cervical spine
(an intervertebral hernia forms) can cause severe pain throughout the entire left arm when the patient turns his head.
With calcification of the joint ligaments, pain appears if you raise your arm up. When calcium is deposited in the tendons of the scapula and clavicle, the pain will intensify and then become chronic.
Occupational pain syndrome usually occurs in athletes who work under heavy loads, leading to microtrauma and tear/rupture of tendons and muscle tissue.
A heart attack can also cause severe pain in the left shoulder joint. Monotonous, monotonous work for a long time with the left/right hand causes aching pain.
When the tendons of the shoulder and the capsule of the shoulder joint become inflamed (periarthritis of the glenohumeral joint), severe pain occurs when the arm is rotated or placed behind the back; over time, without treatment, the patient will not be able to raise the arm up, and difficulties will arise when dressing and combing.
Arthrosis in the left shoulder joint is also a source of pain with a crunching sound when moving. This disease often appears after 40 years in workers and athletes with heavy physical activity and periodic microtraumas from impacts.
rheumatoid arthritis
subsequently affects the left shoulder joint. Its difference is expressed in stiffness in the morning, swelling, accompanied by elevated temperature, deterioration of the condition.
Many diseases can cause pain in the shoulder - these are cardiovascular diseases, hepatitis, pneumonia, osteochondrosis in the cervical region, cancer and others.
Pathological changes in tendons
Painful sensations let you know that the function of the osteoarticular system is impaired, tendon pathology is developing, this is noticeable by the following signs:
- Infraspinal – severe pain causes the elbow joint to be pressed to the side with the arm turned inside out.
- Supraspinal - a painful feeling occurs when the patient moves his arm forward or to the side.
- Subscapularis – due to pain, the upper limb turns its outer side towards the body.
Diagnosis followed by treatment
Diagnosis is carried out by a doctor, starting with a visual assessment of the patient’s condition and ordering laboratory tests:
- tests: blood biochemistry, OAC, OAM;
- X-ray of the diseased joint;
- nuclear magnetic resonance tomography;
- ultrasonography.
Blood tests show sugar levels, the presence of infections, diseases of the autoimmune system, and gastrointestinal tract. To determine the presence of oncology, a test for tumor markers is performed. In the postoperative period, ultrasound of the mobile joint of the shoulder and analgesics are prescribed. The left arm is fixed to reduce the load on the joints, muscles, and tendons.
To relieve muscle spasms, take muscle relaxants with PVS. Inflammation in the joints is relieved with NSAIDs, hormonal therapy, ointments/gels with an anti-inflammatory effect, physiotherapy, massages, exercise therapy. Additionally, it is good to use balneotherapy, laser therapy, hydrotherapy, as well as compresses with therapeutic mud baths.
If pain occurs in the left shoulder, you should consult a specialist (traumatologist, orthopedist, rheumatologist, neurologist, rarely oncologist), who will take a medical history and prescribe treatment.
Author: K.M.N., Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences M.A. Bobyr
Diagnosis of pain in the collarbone
Specialists at the CELT Pain Clinic do not recommend self-medication, as it can cause irreparable harm to your body. In order for the treatment to be successful, it is necessary to identify the reason why the collarbone hurts and direct all efforts to eliminate it.
In addition to being examined by a doctor and taking a medical history, diagnosing collarbone pain includes the following:
- radiography of the collarbone;
- CT scan;
- Magnetic resonance imaging.
Whole food or vitamin supplements
There is one truth: if you get sick, change your diet; If it doesn’t help, change your lifestyle and only then consult a doctor.
In case of any deviations from the normal state, you need to take a close look at your eating habits and immediately eliminate:
- foods and drinks containing chemical additives;
- sugar;
- excess salt;
- alcohol;
- coffee and black tea.
In your daily diet, you need to pay attention to the constant consumption of several essential microelements: phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamin D.
- Phosphorus coordinates the reactions of the central nervous system and muscle function. Sources of phosphorus: sea fish, dairy products.
- Magnesium dilates blood vessels and relieves spasms. Drinking coffee, alcohol, or diuretics completely blocks its effect and “washes it out” of the body. The vacated space is replaced by calcium, which is the main reason for muscle contraction. Sources of magnesium: natural cocoa, whole grains, hard drinking water, sesame seeds, oatmeal.
- Potassium is responsible for the functioning of the cellular pump, excess water in the body. Potassium salts are found in large quantities in vegetables and fruits.
Regarding vitamin D, its dual function should be noted: on the one hand, a clear benefit in the process of absorption from the intestine of the first three listed elements, on the other hand, in case of excess, possible vascular calcification. When using, adhere to the norm. Contained in oily fish, yeast, algae. Can be synthesized in the body under the influence of sunlight.
If you have already made a choice towards the latest achievements of domestic and foreign pharmaceuticals, it is better to place all responsibility on a specialist, rather than reap the fruits of your amateurish actions.
Come on, open your mouth
Most often, false croup occurs in children at 2-3 years of age, can recur for several years, and then goes away. If false croup occurs in a child for the first time, it is better for parents to call an ambulance. Doctors will give the child clear instructions on what to do if the situation repeats. Thus, they can stop a new attack themselves.
But inexperienced mothers and fathers are better off seeking medical help. After all, false croup can be confused with Quincke's edema, which occurs as a result of allergies, a retropharyngeal abscess, or, for example, with a foreign object getting into the throat.
If a child (especially in the first years of life) coughs suddenly, against the background of complete health, the first thing you should worry about is whether this is due to aspiration of the respiratory tract. After all, children often put everything in their mouths while playing, which is why toys containing small parts have age markings and should not be given to children under 3 years of age. With such a cough, urgent help is required. By the way, a foreign body in the respiratory tract not only interferes with breathing, but can also cause recurring pneumonia.
Is this bronchospasm?
With asthma, a special paroxysmal dry cough with shortness of breath and wheezing also occurs. A child suffering from such a cough should definitely be shown to a pulmonologist, although it may not be asthma, but, for example, bronchospasm. Some children (usually preschool age) are prone to its development. This is a feature of their physiology. But you still can’t ignore such a symptom; you need to deal with it carefully, without putting it off for later. After all, 80% of children with bronchial asthma develop the disease in the first 5 years of life.
It is important to listen to the exhalation. If, as you exhale, the patient emits a high, thin whistle that can be heard even from a distance, you can already suspect that this is not a case of an ordinary ARVI. Although viral infections can become a trigger for asthma.
To alleviate the child’s condition, doctors can use glucocorticoid drugs (can be administered in the form of tablets orally, intravenously or through a nebulizer, as well as rectally in suppositories). Usually on the second day the child feels better, and after a week the baby recovers.
Leave your fears behind
Depending on the intensity, frequency and location of the muscle that twitches on its own, people, without understanding what it is, react differently to such deviations. Some with a desperate cry of “Why?!” they immediately rush to specialists, showing off the muscle on their shoulder. Or they report that the muscle in the leg has been twitching for a long time (several months!). Less suspicious people simply adapt, change their diet and lifestyle.
If you have not yet figured out why a muscle on your left arm twitches or contracts on its own, or a group of muscles on your leg pulsates, but at the same time you are in normal physical shape - the body is not atrophying, speech and coordination of movements are not impaired - do not fall into extremes and, like the main character of the humorous story “Three in a Boat, Not Counting the Dog,” who found all imaginable and inconceivable diseases in himself, bequeath his body to medicine.