Lump on Collarbone: 9 must-know Causes

Lump on collarbone can be worrisome as we start thinking about various causes of the lump. Our collarbone is long and smooth. It is also called as the clavicle. It connects the shoulder and the chest by forming joints with the bones in them.

As the collarbone is smooth, we can easily notice any lump that forms on the collarbone. The cause of Lump on collarbone can range from minor reasons like any trauma or injury to more serious ones.

Lump on collarbone Causes:

There are many causes for the formation of Lump on collarbone. Let us explore them below:

Collarbone fracture:

Fracture is a break in the bone. Collarbone fracture can form due to various reasons like falling from heights, vehicle accidents like car or bike accidents, etc. The break or fracture of the collarbone can be minor or it can completely separate the collarbone into two parts depending on the severity of the injury or trauma.

Collarbone fracture makes us sense a Lump on collarbone. Collarbone fracture can cause swelling, bruising, pain over the collarbone. You may also have a restricted range of movement, abnormal sounds while trying to make movements with affected side shoulder.

Lymph node enlargement:

Lymph nodes are part of our lymphatic system. It contains lymph fluid, which has WBC or white blood cells. They fight various bugs or infections in our body. Whenever we have an infection in the body, the lymph nodes of that particular area of the body get swollen.

For example, if we have upper respiratory infections, lymph nodes of the neck can be swollen. Similarly, lymph nodes can appear as Lump on collarbone if there is an infection in the area these lymph nodes drain. These enlarged lymph nodes can be painful, cause pain on touching and can be hard.

Although, most of the times, lymph nodes are enlarged due to infections, sometimes they are enlarged due to more serious causes like cancer. So, if your doctor suspects something severe, he might aspirate the fluid from the lymph node for pathological examination of the fluid.

Ganglion Cyst:

A cyst is a sac-like structure containing fluid. A ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled sac or cyst which generally forms over joints which are subjected to repeated movements like wrists. But, occasionally they can also form over the collarbone.

These cysts contain clear jelly-like fluid. They can be large or small. A ganglion cyst is generally painless and subsides on its own. But, sometimes it can enlarge and cause pain. In such cases, your doctor might need to remove fluid from the cyst or remove the cyst surgically.

Aneurysmal bone cyst:

An aneurysmal bone cyst is a benign tumour. It is called a cyst, but it is not a cyst. It forms inside the bone and is filled with blood. It is covered by thin bony layer. It grows and expands its size. But it is benign. That means it doesn’t spread to other body parts.

Aneurysmal bone cyst forms mostly on body parts like knee, spinal column or pelvic bones. But sometimes it can also form as Lump on collarbone. It is seen mostly in people below the age of 20.

Lipoma:

A lipoma is a benign lump which is filled with fat tissue or adipose tissue. It can form anywhere on the body. It can also form below the skin overlying the collarbone, making us feel like we have a Lump on collarbone. It doesn’t spread anywhere from it formed.

It is generally painless and harmless. But, if it grows in size, it can compress the nerve and cause pain. There is no treatment for it. If it is removed, it forms back again. It can be due to hereditary factors. So, it can run in families.

Lymphoma:

The lymphatic system is the fighter system of our body. It includes lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow and thymus. Lymphoma is cancer which forms in the lymphatic system. It appears as a lump in the neck, lump on collarbone, in underarms, groin, etc.

It can be a painless lump. So, whenever a doctor sees any lump which appears suspicious, he might do an aspiration or biopsy of the lump for the pathological exam. Lymphoma can also cause other symptoms like weakness or tiredness, loss of weight, fever, sweating at night, etc.

Chondrosarcoma:

Chondrosarcoma is a rare type of cancer which forms in the bones. Sometimes, it forms in soft tissues. It can form in the shoulder, pelvic bones or hip. If it forms near the shoulder, it can appear like a Lump on collarbone.

It spreads rapidly to other body parts. It cannot be treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. It needs to be removed surgically.

Breast cancer:

Breast cancer can spread to lymph nodes in the surrounding areas of the body causing lumps to form One of them can be Lump on collarbone. Breast cancer can produce changes like nipple discharge, retraction of nipples, a lump in the breast, etc.

So, if you are having any such changes, you need to consult your physician for physician exam and investigations to find out the cause of these changes.

Osteomyelitis:

Osteomyelitis is the inflammation of the bone caused by infection. It can also affect the collarbone due to injury of the collarbone, surgery near the collarbone, etc. It can form a Lump on collarbone, and it can be painful. It causes redness in collarbone area, fever, etc. It needs to be treated with antibiotics by a physician.

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