A lump on the collarbone can be a surprising and sometimes unsettling discovery. The collarbone, also known as the clavicle, is a long, slender bone that extends horizontally across the top of your chest, connecting your sternum (breastbone) to your shoulder blade (scapula). It is easily felt just beneath the skin, making any abnormality quite noticeable. While finding a lump can be concerning, many collarbone lumps are benign. This article provides general information and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
Common Benign Causes
Many lumps that appear on or near the collarbone are not serious and often resolve on their own. One frequent cause is related to injuries, such as a clavicle fracture or an old, healing break. A visible bump or outward bulge, which can be painful, often forms over the fracture site due to displaced bone ends. Even after the bone heals, a small bony bulge may remain.
Another common benign lump is a lipoma, which is a soft, fatty tumor that grows slowly beneath the skin. These lumps typically feel doughy or rubbery, are movable when pressed, and are usually painless, often measuring less than 2 inches wide. Cysts can also form near the collarbone, such as sebaceous cysts or ganglion cysts. Sebaceous cysts arise from blocked oil glands in the skin and typically appear as firm, round, or oval lumps that can be mobile and are usually painless unless infected. Ganglion cysts are fluid-filled swellings that commonly develop near joints or tendons, feeling like a smooth lump under the skin, though they are more prevalent on the wrists and hands.
Muscle knots, also known as trigger points, can present as a lump near the collarbone, particularly in the neck and shoulder. These are tight, hardened bands of muscle tissue that can cause localized pain or referred pain to surrounding areas. They often result from muscle overuse, poor posture, or stress.
Less Common or Concerning Causes
While many collarbone lumps are benign, some less common causes warrant closer medical evaluation. Enlarged lymph nodes, particularly the supraclavicular lymph nodes located just above the collarbone, can appear as lumps. These nodes can swell in response to infections elsewhere in the body, such as the throat, chest, or arm, as the immune system works to fight off pathogens. Swollen lymph nodes are often tender and may be accompanied by other signs of infection.
Infections can also directly affect the bone. Osteomyelitis, a bone infection, can cause swelling that resembles a lump, along with symptoms like redness, warmth, pain, and sometimes fever or chills. While less common, abscesses, which are localized collections of pus, can also form under the skin near the collarbone due to infection.
Bone tumors, though rare, can also manifest as a lump on or near the collarbone. These can be benign, such as osteochondromas, or malignant (cancerous), which may be primary tumors originating in the bone or metastatic tumors that have spread from another part of the body. Though bone tumors of the clavicle are uncommon, their presence necessitates careful diagnosis. Other rare conditions, such as aneurysms (e.g., subclavian artery aneurysm), or certain inflammatory processes, can also lead to the formation of a mass in the region, requiring specialized medical assessment.
When to Seek Medical Attention
It is prudent to seek medical attention for any new or changing lump on the collarbone to ensure a proper diagnosis. Certain characteristics of a lump signal a greater need for prompt evaluation:
Rapid growth or a sudden change in the size or shape of the lump should be assessed by a doctor.
Persistent pain or pain that worsens over time, especially if unexplained by injury, is also a reason for concern.
A lump that feels hard, fixed, or immovable, rather than soft and mobile, should be investigated.
Accompanying systemic symptoms like unexplained weight loss, persistent fever, or night sweats indicate a need for medical consultation.
Skin changes over the lump, such as redness, warmth, ulceration, or any discharge, also warrant medical review.
If the lump appeared after trauma and is associated with significant pain, deformity, or limited arm movement, it should be evaluated.
Additionally, any neurological symptoms, such as numbness, tingling, or weakness in the arm or hand, occurring with the lump, necessitate immediate medical attention.
What to Expect at the Doctor’s Office
When you visit a doctor for a collarbone lump, the diagnostic process typically begins with a comprehensive medical history and a physical examination. The doctor will ask about when you first noticed the lump, any associated symptoms like pain or changes in size, and your general health. During the physical exam, the doctor will carefully palpate, or feel, the lump to assess its size, shape, consistency (e.g., soft, firm, hard), mobility, and tenderness. They will also check the surrounding area and assess your range of motion in the shoulder and arm.
Following the initial examination, the doctor may recommend imaging tests to get a clearer picture of the lump. An X-ray can help identify bone fractures, abnormalities, or bony growths. An ultrasound may be used to determine if the lump is solid or fluid-filled, which can help differentiate between cysts, lipomas, or swollen lymph nodes. For more detailed anatomical information, a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might be ordered, particularly if a tumor or deeper tissue involvement is suspected.
In some cases, blood tests may be performed, especially if an infection or an inflammatory condition is suspected. If the nature of the lump remains unclear after imaging, a biopsy may be necessary. This procedure involves taking a small tissue sample from the lump for microscopic examination. Different types of biopsies exist, including fine-needle aspiration, core needle biopsy, or excisional biopsy, where the entire lump is removed. Based on the findings, the doctor may provide a diagnosis and treatment plan, or refer you to a specialist, such as an orthopedist or an oncologist, for further management.