I have a hump on the back of my neck?

What could cause a fatty hump on the back of your lower neck where your head joins the upper spine?

• Answer:

  This fatty hump on the back of your lower neck could be a "Protease Paunch" or it could be caused by Cushing's Syndrome: Too much cortisol can produce some of the hallmark signs and symptoms of Cushing's syndrome a fatty hump between your shoulders, a rounded face, and pink or purple stretch marks (striations) on your skin. It can also result in high blood pressure, bone loss and, on occasion, diabetes. Other Common Causes are: extended use of some steroids (glucocorticoids such as prednisone, cortisone, and hydrocortisone) extreme obesity hypercortisolism (caused by Cushing's syndrome) some drugs used for AIDS (reason unclear) osteoporosis may cause curvature of the spine in the neck (kyphoscoliosis) More Comments: I just wanted to add, that I too have that strange hump on the back on neck/ upper spine, and I'm not obese. I did just have a baby 2 months ago, and that's when I started to notice it. I do have a little baby weight to lose, but I'd say I'm average/small build. I'm also only 30 years old, so I don't think it's the oesterperoisis thing yet. However, it does seems to be more pronounced just after I have a baby, and my breasts are heavier. That must have something to do with it. I think it's completely gone when I wean or lose all my baby weight. Is this something that only women get? I'd be interested to know how much being over weight has to do with having the hump. I do think it must be related, eventhough one doesn't have to be obese to have it. I am a 28 year old male who has had the hump since I was 17. I went to doctors about it, but they said it wasn't bad enough to do surgery on, and suggested that physical therapy might help it slightly. Anyway, I have been skinny (6'2'' 160 lbs) and obese (315 lbs at my highest), and the condition is getting progressively worse as I get older, no matter how much weight I lose. So, I think it has very little to do with weight and everything to do with a bad spin of the genetic wheel of fortune :(. I had a lump at the base of my neck where it joins the spine. It was a lipoma which is a benign fatty tumor. It gradually got larger over a number of years. I developed another over my left shoulder blade - it grew more quickly than the other, to about the size of a large fist on the outside. I had them both removed surgically. As I said, they were both benign as the doctors had assured me they probably would be. But, the only way to be sure is to have tissue looked at by a pathologists. I am doing great and have not had another at this point but people who have these do have a tendancy to develop them again. I am 28 and 6'4". Because of my height and inactivity I have had bad posture for most of my life. I have spent alot of time in slumped over desks/staring at computers. And for to long I drank way to much coffee/soda and not nearly enough water. All this led to chronic back pain, stiffness, the development of a hump starting at the base of my neck, and periodically throughing out my back. I decided that I did not want to be in pain all my life that this had to change. I started working out constantly, seeing doctors, therapists, chiropractors, etc... figuring that I am to young to be feeling this crappy. After several months of hitting the gym seeing doctors, chiropractors, massage therapists, etc... all with little success, someone suggested rolfing. I had never heard of it but figured that I would give it a try. I googled rolfer in my area, picked one and went. After about 10 sessions I am not in constant pain, I can hold myself in good posture easily and unconciously, I am more flexiible than I have ever been, generally I feel better than I can remember....and the hump has stopped gone away. Basically, rolfing is a practice of massage that target the tissue that surrounds muscles. this tissue is very fiberous and strong and is supposed to encase your muscles individually. When you become inatimate and dehydrated, this tissue sticks to stuff causing your muscles to act as a group rather than individuals; you become stiff, lack range of motion. If you have bad posture to begin with (due to height, large breasts, occupation, etc...) you get stuck in that bad posture position and the posture only gets worse. See a doctor! This could be an "upper thoracic hump", which is caused by Forward Head Posture. Dowager's Hump typically occurs in older women and affects the area around the shoulder blades. Upper Thoracic Hump is in the area where the neck meets the upper back. The area gets covered by a fatty deposit, which exacerbates the look of the hump. It might be Scheuermann's syndrome. You might want to go to the doctor to make sure it is nothing serious. But if it's just a hump on the back of your neck, you can most likely correct it. My father had a hump awhile ago but he started going to the chiropractor and I think the key thing is he started doing a lot of yoga. After a year or two it just went away. I have had my hump since I was a very small child. I was told it was fatty tissue from the body cushioning itself from all of the falling I used to do from weak ankles (running or walking). I am to have it removed because now it seems to be getting bigger as I gain weight and the doctor thinks that is where all of the weight is going. At 53 I think I can take a chance it won't regrow before I'm into my 70's or 80's. I've had a hump on my upper back since I was 14. My mother also has the same thing. We both are big breasted women and I think it has something to do with it. As of the past 3 years it has started interfering with my sleep. I sleep on my stomach and it puts tremendous pressure on my head. It seams like no matter what position i sleep in its uncomfortable and I wake up every morning with my head full of pressure. I've spoken with a nutritional doctor and he said to reduce the fatty deposit I should stay away from white bread and starches. It really dose work the spine is still curved but the fatty deposit seams to have diminished a bit.