How a pain in your collarbone can be a sign of silent killer – and 6 other symptoms to spot

YOU MIGHT not understand how the two are connected, but pain in your collarbone could mean all is not well in your tummy.

Your collarbone is the long, slender bone that sits at the top of your chest, just bellow you neck. It runs from the breastbone to each shoulder.

You may ask “What does that have to do with my stomach?”

Peculiarly, a sore collarbone could indicate that you have a stomach ulcer, according to research.

“Shoulder pain can be the sole manifestation of a benign gastric ulcer,” researchers from the University of Virginia Medical Center said.

Another research team studied someone who’d suffered a gastric ulcer perforation and they observed: “A prominent feature of our patient was long-standing pain in the left shoulder.”

The most common symptom of a stomach ulcer is a burning or gnawing pain in the centre of the tummy, NHS guidance said.

However, they aren’t always painful.

You might experience other symptoms, such as:

• indigestion
• heartburn and acid reflux
• loss of appetite
• feeling and being sick
• weight loss

You might also notice you’re burping or becoming bloated after eating fatty foods.

“Complications of stomach ulcers are relatively uncommon, but they can be very serious and potentially life threatening,” the NHS stated.

These include:

• bleeding at the site of the ulcer
• the stomach lining at the site of the ulcer splitting open
• the ulcer blocking the movement of food through the digestive system

See you GP right away or contact NHS 111 if your poos are dark sticky and tar-like and you have a sudden sharp pain in your tummy that gets steadily worse.

But you should go to A&E if you start vomiting blood – this can look bright red or appear grainy like coffee grounds.

What other conditions could cause collarbone pain?

There are a number of things that could be causing your achy collarbone, not all serious!

But it’s important to see a doctor if you injure your collarbone or if you have unexplained pain in the area, along with other symptoms.

1. Sleeping position

Your achy collarbone might be down to something as simple as how you sleep.

The position you choose when you snooze can make your neck, back and collarbone hurt, and sleeping on the same side continuously could cause you problems.

If your sleeping position is the culprit, the pain will fade throughout the day, Medical News Today said. Try changing sleeping positions during the night and new pillows or mattresses could help.

2. Pericarditis

Pain in your collarbone could also be a symptom of pericarditis, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

This is when your pericardium – a thin membrane holding the heart in place and helping it work properly – becomes inflamed.

You might experience piercing chest pain that is felt especially behind your breastbone and sometimes beneath your collarbone, neck and left shoulder. It might feel like a heart attack and will get worse if you take a deep breath, but better if you sit up or lean forward.

You might also experience fever, weakness, coughing and trouble breathing, pain when swallowing and palpitations, Johns Hopkins added.

3. Collarbone break or fracture

You’ll know your collarbone is broken if pain around the area starts suddenly and grows worse as you try to move.

You might also feel or hear grinding or clicking, and experience tenderness, swelling, bruising or a stiff arm.

A condition called distal clavicular osteolysis might also be the cause of your sore collarbone – this is when small fractures developing on the end of the collarbone closest to the shoulder.

It’s sometimes called weightlifter’s shoulder and you’ll notice pain when you move your arm across your body or when lifting objects over your head.

4. Thoracic outlet syndrome

This can happen if your collarbone shifts from its normal position and puts pressure to the blood vessels and nerves between the bone and your highest rib.

The syndrome can cause pain in your neck and shoulder, which spreads into your arm, according to the NHS.

It might also cause tingling and weakness in your arm and affect your ability to do things such as do up your buttons.

5. Joint injury

Your acromio-clavicular joint is where your collarbone meets your shoulder blade. A fall onto or direct blow to the shoulder can injure it, causing pain and swelling.

Your collarbone might be out of place and you could notice a bulge above your shoulder.

6. Osteoarthritis

This is the most common type of arthritis in the UK, according to the NHS, and causes joints to become painful and stiff.

It mostly affects the knees, hips and small joints of the hands. Osteoarthritis can make your affected joints grate and crack when you move them.

7. Cancer

Cancer is not a common cause of collarbone pain.

But there’s a slim chance your collarbone pain is a sign of neuroblastoma a rare type of cancer that mostly affects babies and young children.

It most commonly occurs in one of the adrenal glands above the kidneys, or in the nerve tissue that runs alongside the spinal cord in the neck, chest, tummy or pelvis.

It can spread to other organs, such as the bone marrow, bone, lymph nodes, liver and skin.

8. Osteomyelitis

This is a rare and painful bone infection, usually causing aches in the long bones of your legs or the back of your arms.

Though it’s unlikely this will be the cause of you collarbone pain, you’re more at risk for osteomyelitis if you have:

• recently broken a bone
• have a wound
• an artificial hip, or a screw in a bone
• recently had surgery on a bone
• a weakened immune system
• diabetes, especially if you also have a foot ulcer