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Hump behind the shoulders - Treatment

Alternative Names

Buffalo hump; Dorsocervical fat pad

Home Care:

If the hump is caused by a certain medicine, your doctor may tell you to stop taking the drug or change your dosage. Never stop taking any medicine without first talking to your doctor.

Diet and exercise can help you to lose weight and may relieve some humps due to extreme obesity.

Call your health care provider if:

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have an unexplained hump behind the shoulders.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Your doctor will perform a physical examination and ask questions about your medical history and symptoms. Questions may include:

What medications do you take?
How old are you?
Have you been checked for osteoporosis?
What other symptoms do you have?

Diagnostic tests that may be performed include:

Treatment will be aimed at the problem that caused the fat to develop in the first place.

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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