The collarbone, also called the clavicle, consists of two long bones that rest at the top of your chest. They’re between the chest bone and shoulder, and help to connect your arms to your body. It’s one of the prominent bones in your body, and it’s only covered by skin. That’s why a broken collarbone is a common car accident injury.
If you’ve suffered an injured collarbone in a car accident, you’ll need to discuss the matter with the best car accident attorney. Below is more information about this painful injury.
What Causes Broken Collarbones?
Car accidents are a common cause, but there are other ways the collarbone breaks. When you fall, you may extend your arm out to break your fall, but this is a ways a break happens. Also, if you fall and hit your shoulder, you can break the bone.
Other common causes of broken collarbone are:
- Auto accidents
- Bike or motorcycle accidents
- Job-related accidents
- Truck crashes
- Defective products
- Nursing home falls
- Slip and fall accidents
What Are the Symptoms?
This injury will present certain symptoms, which can be severe or mild. It’s possible for your collarbone to fracture into several pieces, which can cause complications.
Common broken collarbone symptoms are:
- Swelling and bruising
- Deformities of the shoulder
- Trouble raising or moving your arm
- Pain when you try to move your arm
- A cracking or grinding when you move your arm
- A Numbing or tingling feeling in your arms or fingers
Treatment Options: A fractured collarbone must be x-rayed to diagnose the type of break. A break is called aligned if the bone fractured into two pieces and the ends meet. A non-aligned break means the break ends don’t meet.
If you have an aligned break, treatments usually involve pain medication and a sling. These types of fractures usually heal without further medical intervention.
But a more severe break may need surgery, which can include pins, screws, and rods to immobilize the pieces and make sure they are aligned as your heel.
Once this fracture heals, you may require physical therapy to improve joint and muscle strength. Physical therapy also maybe need to get your range of motion back.
Many broken collarbones heal on their own without problems. But if you don’t get proper treatment, you could suffer a deformity, poor range of motion, and injuries to your nerve. Remember to talk to the best Portland car accident attorney today if you’ve broken your collarbone in an accident – if another person or entity caused it.
