The echo sound waves create a picture on a screen as an ultrasound transducer is passed over the skin over the heart. Echo can show how well your heart is working and whether fluid has built up around your heart. This test records the strength and timing of the electrical activity of the heart. It shows abnormal rhythms and can sometimes detect heart muscle damage. Small sensors are taped to your skin to pick up the electrical activity.
Chest X-ray. An X-ray may be done to check your lungs and see if your heart is enlarged. Cardiac MRI. This is an imaging test that takes detailed pictures of the heart. It may be used to look for thickening or other changes in the pericardium. Cardiac CT.
This type of X-ray takes a clear, detailed picture of your heart and pericardium. It may be used to help rule out other causes of chest pain. Blood tests. Certain blood tests can help rule out other heart problems, such as heart attack, and can tell the doctor how much inflammation there is in your pericardium.
The goal of treatment for pericarditis is to determine and eliminate the cause of the disease. Treatment often involves medicines, such as pain medicines, anti-inflammatory drugs, or antibiotics. Often, when the pericardium becomes inflamed, the amount of fluid between these layers increases. This is called a pericardial effusion. If the amount of fluid increases quickly, the effusion can keep the heart from working properly.
This complication of pericarditis is called cardiac tamponade and is a serious emergency. The most common mechanism of a collarbone injury is to fall and strike the shoulder or to fall onto an outstretched arm and transfer that energy to the shoulder.
Another common mechanism is a car accident. Even though a properly worn seat belt shoulder strap lays right on the collarbone, the seat belt is not responsible for most collision-related broken collarbones. Instead, it's more likely to be caused by the energy transferred from the steering wheel through the arm. Acromioclavicular AC Joint Separation: The AC joint is a bit of cartilage that connects the collarbone to the scapula triangular bone on the back of the shoulder.
Direct impact to the shoulder or transferred to the shoulder through the arm can separate the collarbone from the scapula at the AC joint. Arthritis: Joint inflammation from overuse can occur in the AC joint.
Just about any repetitive arm lifting or circling can lead to inflammation in the part of the shoulder structure called the rotator cuff. Usually, this sort of pain feels like it is coming from the lateral outside part of the shoulder rather than from the collarbone. However, arthritis can cause collarbone pain as well. Sleeping Position:. If you sleep on your side, and especially the same side all the time, it can put a lot of strain on the collarbone and shoulder you lie on.
It might just make you stiff and sore, but it's possible that lying on your side can lead to tears in the rotator cuff , tendinitis , or nerve impingement. These causes of collarbone pain occur much less frequently. Referred Pain Kehr's Sign : Irritation in the abdomen can trigger pain in other parts of the body.
One of the most common types of referred pain causes the patient to feel a constant aching pain in the top of the shoulder near the distal end of the collarbone. Kehr's sign is pain in the left shoulder caused by bleeding from the spleen into the abdominal cavity. The pain might get worse with palpation of the upper left quadrant of the abdomen where the spleen is located.
A similar referred pain can occur if there is bleeding on the other side of the abdomen, which will show up as pain in the right shoulder or collarbone. Referred pain is an important consideration if the patient has had recent trauma to the abdomen followed by collarbone pain or shoulder pain, especially if there was not an injury to the shoulder or collarbone that hurts.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome: Thoracic outlet syndrome refers to the impingement of an area of the shoulder structure where blood vessels and nerves pass from the chest to the axillary area near the armpit. This is not a common cause of collarbone pain, but it can occur in rare cases, particularly when veins or arteries are blocked.
This cause shows up regularly on the internet as a cause of collarbone or shoulder pain, but the pain is much more likely to be felt in the arm or the hand.
In most cases of thoracic outlet syndrome, the blockage is impinging on the nerves. In extremely rare cases, it happens to veins and, even more rarely yet, arteries. Osteomyelitis: Osteomyelitis is a bone infection that can result from bacteria invading the area.
It can be due to a compound fracture a broken bone that comes through the skin , a wound near the clavicle, systemic infections e. The infection leads to swelling and pain. Condensing Osteitis: This is the rarest condition that is specific to the clavicle and could lead to collarbone pain. Condensing osteitis is extremely painful but benign. It is an inflammation of the inside of the inner end of the clavicle, the part attached to the sternum breast bone , and is usually treatable with anti-inflammatory drugs.
In some cases, osteitis requires surgery to reduce the inflammation and possibly remove a portion of the collarbone. Treatment for collarbone pain depends on the cause, and in almost every case it is important to see a healthcare provider. Whether or not you can wait to make an appointment depends on a few factors. In the case of trauma, the most important factor is whether or not the pain is tolerable.
If you were involved in a motor vehicle collision, for example, and you now have debilitating pain in the shoulder or specifically on the collarbone, call or go to an emergency department. Sudden, severe pain as the result of an injury could mean the collarbone is broken or dislocated separated from the other bones around it.
If the pain is tolerable after an injury, you could choose to make an appointment with your primary healthcare provider or with an orthopedic healthcare provider if you have that option available through your insurance.
Either way, your healthcare provider is going to need an X-ray and sometimes it is easier to go to the emergency department and let the staff guide you. Anytime after a significant injury, if you are feeling light-headed, confused, or short of breath, call immediately. The amount of force necessary to cause a fracture of the collarbone is also enough to cause significant bleeding or puncture a lung. Pain that develops gradually over time can usually wait for you to make an appointment with your primary care healthcare provider.
In the event that your pain develops suddenly, it is perfectly acceptable to go to the emergency room for treatment. If nontraumatic collarbone pain is associated with abdominal pain or if it gets worse when you lie flat and bend your knees, call Kehr's sign is a pain in the shoulder that worsens when you lie flat on your back and bend your knees.
Kehr's sign may mean that there is bleeding in the abdomen, and that is a true medical emergency. Besides worsening while lying down, if there is any bruising on the abdomen or pain in the abdomen along with shoulder or collarbone pain, call If you feel faint or confused, call While it rarely is described as collarbone pain, chest pain originating from the heart can often feel like neck or shoulder discomfort.
Depending on where it is located, it could feel as if the pain is centered on the collarbone. Usually, cardiac chest pain does not increase with pressing on it or with movement of the arm and shoulder.
If there is any concern that pain in the collarbone might actually be from the heart, call immediately. Collarbone pain is a symptom of another condition. Diagnosing the cause of the collarbone pain will always start with a detailed medical history and focused physical examination.
The history and physical will drive the healthcare provider's decision on which tests to perform after that. The most common diagnostic tests will all be imaging studies, especially if there is any possibility of trauma.
The healthcare provider will almost always start by ruling out whether the cause of the pain is the collarbone itself or where the collarbone connects on either end.
The healthcare provider will follow the most common causes first and work toward more rare causes. Imaging study options include:.
Many injuries can damage the collarbone, and some require immediate attention. When should a person seek emergency treatment, and when will a routine trip to the doctor be enough?
We address these questions and more. The collarbone is among the most likely to fracture. Blunt force applied to an outstretched arm or shoulder can easily injure or break this bone. Collarbone breaks and fractures usually occur with shoulder injuries caused by accidents.
Pain around the collarbone will start suddenly and often grow worse as a person tries to move their shoulder. They may also feel a grinding sensation or hear a clicking noise. A caregiver or doctor may notice that a newborn is not moving one arm, possibly indicating a brake or fracture.
A broken collarbone is diagnosed following an X-ray and an examination, in which a doctor checks for bruising or swelling. If the bone has remained in place, despite the break or fracture, a person will likely only need to wear a sling for a few days and rest the arm. In some cases, a doctor will recommend a brace instead. More severe breaks may require surgery, in which a surgeon will insert pins, a rod, or a plate to keep the bone and fragments in place during healing.
This occurs when the collarbone shifts from its normal position and applies pressure to the blood vessels and nerves located between the bone and the highest rib. Physical therapy is a common treatment.
It will likely focus on strengthening the muscles around the collarbone. However, surgery may be required in more severe cases. The acromioclavicular AC joint is located where the collarbone meets the top of the shoulder blade. Separation of the joint is a common injury , sometimes caused by blunt force or a fall.
Injuring the AC joint can lead to pain, but it does not always accompany a break of the collarbone. This type of arthritis is often caused by normal wear and tear that accompanies ageing. In some cases it is brought on by injury. Sleeping in certain positions can cause pain in the neck, back, or collarbone.
Sleeping on the same side for long periods may be especially problematic.
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