This fat pad creates the look of a hump behind the shoulders.
This issue can be resulting from a variety of conditions and medications and in some instances may be reversible.
Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health
Why Do People Have a Buffalo Hump?
Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health
Several different medical diagnoses and medications can lead to a dorsocervical fat pad.
Your healthcare provider will commonly orderlaboratory teststo analyze cortisol levels in your body.
They will also evaluate your current medication regimen to check for drugs that may lead to excessive fatty deposits.
In addition, the conditions that cause a buffalo hump can lead to a variety of other symptoms.
Focusing on the things that are within your control can help you cope with this condition.
This includes:
Summary
A buffalo hump deposits excess fat tissue on the back of the neck.
In rarer cases, antiretroviral medications, Madelungs disease, or generalized obesity may also be to blame.
Treatments include medication changes, diet and exercise, and in rare cases cosmetic surgery.
University of Florida Health.Hump on upper back (dorsocervical fat pad).
National Organization for Rare Diseases.Madelungs disease.
Osmosis by Elsevier.Buffalo hump.
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doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000016112
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Cushings syndrome.
