BUFFALO HUMP
GIVE IT THE HUMP
WHAT IS A BUFFALO HUMP?
A large lipoma / accumulation of fatty deposits on the top of the shoulders / behind the neck in the dorsocervical fat pad is referred to as a 'BUFFALO HUMP'.
A BUFFALO HUMP is sometimes referred to as 'fat back', 'fat base of neck', or 'humped back'.
A lipoma is a benign mass made up of fatty tissue. They are harmless and do not require any treatment: however many people wish to have them removed for cosmetic reasons.
WHAT CAUSES A BUFFALO HUMP?
A buffalo hump can be cause by a variety of reasons, such as:
- A side effect of medication (especially those used to treat obesity)
- Cushings Syndrome (this is a rare condition when the body has too much cortisol)
- Long term steroid use, such as prednisolone, hydrocortisone, and cortisone
- Certain genetic disorders that cause unusual fat accumulation
- Madelung disease (multiple symmetrical lipomatosis) often associated with excessive alcohol consumption
Sometimes, the appearance of a 'buffalo hump' is not a lipoma, but a tumour, a cyst, or curvature of the spine. Osteoporosis may cause a curvature of the spine in the neck called kyphoscoliosis which causes an abnormal shape, but does not by itself cause excessive fat in the back of the neck.
