Broken Clavicle

On August 21st 2010 I was up in Big Bear, CA enjoying a beautiful day mountain biking. I just got back the month before from doing the same in Sundance, UT. On the second run down, I took an unexpected and quick spill landing on my shoulder and head. I got up dazed wondering how and why that just happened and realized my collar bone felt and looked broken.
A friend of mine went for help and was able to get an ambulance to my fallen location quickly. I was then transported to the Big Bear ER. I was x-rayed there in which the ER doctor confirmed the collar bone had been broken and was a “nasty” break as stated by the doctor. He wanted me to go see my doctor, so that he could refer me to an orthopedic. They tone and talk with this doctor was that my shoulder would probably need surgery.
I was released in a sling, given pain medication for home, called my wife and headed home. Once I got back home and explained more to my worried family what had happened, I reached out to Dr. David Christopher for some advice. I did not want to have surgery if at all possible. He gave to me a regimen of Dr. Christopher’s “Complete Tissue and Bone” in capsule form, balm, ointment and tea, along with heat and ice. This was all ordered on Monday to begin taking the above formulas.
That Monday the 23rd, I went to see my family doctor. He looked at the x-rays, and said what I heard Saturday, what a “nasty’ break. I then had more x-rays done and was told to be put in a figure of eight brace, and told me I would hear from the Ortho doctor for a visit. . I was given some more pain medication for home. The brace was no fun at all and was very uncomfortable. I wore it and now was not able to drive; I could with the sling, had my wife come pick me up
I received my products that Wednesday the 25th and began taking the capsules 5 at a time for a total of 25 per day. I also rubbed the oil and ointment directly on the collar bone and all over the shoulder that felt bruised or sore. I made the Comfrey tea and drank it 2-3 times a day. By Friday the 28th a week after the fall, I was not taking any pain medication, it was still sore, but was not in need of the meds. Dr. Christopher did mention I wouldn’t need them shortly after starting on the herbs.
I continued this process day in and day out and went to see the Ortho on the 31st. More x-rays were taken and I saw the doctor. Again, no surprise, “nasty’ break he said. I looked at the x-rays with him and it indeed was ugly, half of the bone pointing up and the other half pointing down there was complete separation and a gap of the 2 pieces that was once my collar bone. At this stage I am no doubt thinking I am going to have to have surgery for this to heal and for me to get back to normal. He told me I could remove the brace, that it wasn’t needed and to ice it and to come back in 3 weeks for a follow up. I asked about surgery and he said he would pass the x-rays around to other doctors to see what they thought and would call me if so. I was asked if more pain medication was needed, in which I said I haven’t been taken any for over a week now, he was surprised at that.
I continued on the capsules, fomentation and tea. I was able to start sleeping in my bed again, I was glad to get out of the recliner. After 2 weeks I was able to raise my arm in all directions, but no higher than my head.
I never heard back from him on the surgery, so was starting to feel a little better about that. On the 21st of September, one month to the day, I returned to see the doctor. The x-ray looked the same to me, but he noticed some shadowing starting to appear. He said, “That is bone that is starting to grow, I don’t believe it is at this stage already” he pressed on my shoulder with his thumb to in fact feel the bone that was starting to grow. There was bone there and I could feel it going across my shoulder. I was happy to hear that, asked him about surgery and the tone was now it wasn’t needed and that this was going to heal back on its own. I asked if I could start doing arm curls again, he said not at all and to wait. I continued on the Christopher formulas and the next day tried to do some arm curls. I started off with 5lbs, I was not only able to do them, there was no pain; I did 3 sets of 10.
On the 12th of October I went in again to see the doctor. More evidence that there is bone between the gap was now present on the x-rays and it was looking and feeling great. He said I could start to lift some light weights with my arm, I told him I already was doing so. I came home and did 10 pushups, it was a challenge, but was able to push through it. I am still taken all the above mentioned capsules, fomentation and tea, the capsules 25 a day, but the tea and fomentation are down to 3- 4 times a week now. This was decided on my own from how I was feeling, I still have that one side of the collar bone pointing up and could be months before it get rounded off, but there is definitely new bone growing in its place.

November 9th I went in for my last visit. We discussed doing some full stretching exercises and that I did not need to come in anymore unless I needed to. I didn’t need to go in that day in my opinion but did just to see where I was at and if there was anything else I needed to do that I was not already doing.
This day, November 17th I used my last bottle of capsules, but continue on the fomentation and tea periodically. I will see how things go in my decision to stop it all together.
There is no doubt that this procedure of “Complete Tissue and Bone” aided in my quick recovery and that I did not need surgery. 96% of collar bone breaks do not require surgery, but I thought I was going to be in that 4% with the way the x-rays looked and all the doctors that saw it mentioned how nasty of a break it was.