Hump behind the shoulders - Overview
Alternative Names
Buffalo hump; dorsocervical fat pad
Definition of Hump behind the shoulders:
Hump behind the shoulders is a lump of fat on the back of the neck.
Considerations:
A hump behind the shoulders by itself is not a sign of any one, specific condition. The doctor must consider this along with other symptoms and test results.
Common Causes:
- Certain drugs used to treat AIDS
- Extended use of certain steroid medicines, including prednisone, cortisone, and hydrocortisone
- Extreme obesity
- Hypercortisolism (caused by Cushing syndrome)
Osteoporosis may cause a curvature of the spine in the neck called kyphoscoliosis.
- Reviewed last on: 3/18/2008
- Elizabeth H. Holt, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Yale University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
References
Young WF. The incidentally discovered adrenal mass. N Engl J Med. 2007; 356:601-610.
Stewart PM. The Adrenal Cortex. In: Kronenberg HM, Melmed S, Polonsky KS, Larsen PR. Kronenberg: Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:chap 14.
