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

Self-Care at Home

• If someone has been in an automobile accident or suffered a similar force, and you suspect a broken collarbone, be cautious and do not move the person. There may be other injuries. Wait for appropriately trained emergency medical services personnel to arrive.
  
  
• If it is clear that only a broken collarbone is involved, the most important treatment is to relieve pain.
  
  
  • The arm should be moved as little as possible.
    
    
  • An ice pack wrapped in a towel should be applied directly to the broken collarbone.
    
    
  • Aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) are effective over-the-counter pain relievers.
    
    
  • A homemade sling can be formed from a large handkerchief, or towel, or from the triangle bandage found in your home first aid kit. Simply fold the handkerchief, or towel, in half to form a triangle. Then fold the triangle around the forearm with one pointy end toward the elbow and the other 2 tied around the neck. The elbow should be bent and supported across the chest.

Medical Treatment

• The vast majority of collarbone fractures can be treated with a simple sling. Sometimes a swath is wrapped around the sling to hold it to the body. Occasionally a figure-of-eight splint is used. This wraps around both shoulders and the neck to hold the shoulders back and up. Either method is appropriate treatment for the broken collarbone. You will be instructed to wear the sling at all times until there is no further pain with movement. This is usually 2-4 weeks for children and 4-8 weeks for adults. Commercially available slings can also be used.
  
  
• You will also be instructed to avoid the potential for further trauma during this time.
  
  
• You may take over-the-counter pain medicine but might require a prescription pain medicine.
  
  
• Follow up with your doctor until you are better.
  
  
• Clavicle fractures will heal properly with standard treatment. But, rarely, people may have problems with fractures near the shoulder end of the clavicle. These people are often referred to an orthopedic surgeon within 2-3 days after breaking their collarbone. Some may require an operation.

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