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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. Clinical practice: 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, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2008: chap 14.

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