Please call 911 immediately if you are having chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, sudden weakness or numbness, or if you think you have a medical emergency.
Broken Collarbone Treatment
Call 911 if:
The person is experiencing tingling.
There is numbness or weakness in the hand or arm.
The injury is near the sternum and the person is having shortness of breath or difficulty swallowing.
1. Get Medical Help Immediately
Get the person to a hospital emergency room or to a health care provider.
2. Immobilize the Arm
Avoid moving the affected arm.
Hold the arm close to the body with the other arm or a sling with the hand raised higher than the elbow.
3. Reduce Pain and Swelling
Apply ice for pain and swelling.
Give over-the-counter acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) for pain unless there is a break in the skin over the fracture, which may require surgery.
4. Follow Up
The health care provider will examine the shoulder and may X-ray the shoulder and chest.
The health care provider may put the arm in a sling to immobilize it and apply a figure eight strap to help maintain shoulder position. Surgery is rarely required.
WebMD Medical Reference
SOURCES:
Mount Nittany Medical Center: "Shoulder Blade or Collarbone Fracture."
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: "Broken Collarbone."
Johns Hopkins Medicine: "Patient Guide to Clavicle (Collarbone) Fracture."