How to fix bump on neck

What is Dowager’s Hump?

Dowager’s Hump is an outward curvature of the thoracic vertebrae of the upper back. It appears as a rounded hunch that many people refer to as a hunchback. 

In addition to the bump on the base of the neck, Dowager’s Hump has a forward head posture where your head is jutting forward. One of the problems with this is that the more forward your head sits, the more stress is placed on the base of your neck. You be thinking, “but how much stress does that actually add” and the answer might surprise you. For every inch that your head protrudes forward from its normal alignment, you add approximately an extra 10 pounds of force on your neck. When you take that force and compound it over months or years it’s no surprise that your spine curvature changes.

Bad posture is the leading cause of Dowager’s Hump but it’s certainly not the only cause. Other possible causes include osteoporosis, a congenital problem, or Scheuermann’s kyphosis. No matter the specific underlying cause, Dowager’s Hump happens as a result of the weakening of muscles around your thoracic spine. When those muscles weaken, other muscles have to do their job for them and that puts those additional muscles under constant strain from overuse.

If left untreated, a person with Dowager’s Hump will begin to have pain in their shoulders and neck. Over time, their chin will move closer to their ribcage and the end result can be spinal degeneration. Many people with Dowager’s Hump experience intense headaches in addition to their neck and shoulder pain. Some people are more bothered by the physical aesthetic of Dowager’s Hump while others just want some relief from the pain it causes.

The good news is that Dowager’s Hump be treated and for some people, it can be cured entirely. We recommend 3 stretches that are particularly helpful for taking the pressure off of your neck and upper back, reducing headache pain, and reducing the Dowager’s Hump itself so you have less of a hunchback.

3 Stretches To Get Rid Of A Hunchback aka Dowager's Hump

One of the most commonly asked questions we get is “I sit at a desk all day and I know I have poor posture but what can I do to reduce my hunchback?” There are 3 very simple stretches that will help strengthen the muscles surrounding your thoracic spine and bring your head back into proper alignment.

1. Pectoral Stretch

This first stretch is designed to stretch out your chest muscles. In order to do this pectoral stretch, all you need is a door jamb. Place your arms on either side of the door frame forming a 90-degree angle with each arm. Lean in further and further as you feel your muscles relax. If you find this stretch is too easy, bring your arms higher above the 90-degree position and try doing the stretch that way.

2. Upper Back Stretch

This stretch is our favorite golf warm-up stretch and is great for loosening up your muscles. You’ll need something to hold onto so you can simply face a wall and place your hands flat against it above your head. Keeping neck neutral, sink down into the stretch. Be sure not to let your head drop as you’re doing this stretch. Focus on keeping your ears in line with your shoulders. After about 10-20 seconds, sink further into the stretch. If you have shoulder problems and it hurts to keep them above your head, you can keep your arms lower.

3. Chin Translation

This stretch is designed to improve your posture by taking that forward head posture that is emblematic of Dowager’s Hump and bringing it back in line over your body. Pretend your ears and your jaw are on a railroad cart and it’s going to go straight back like a cobra strike. This is not an up or down movement, it’s straight back. You can do this stretch just about anywhere to help with your posture. Once you get the hang of it, put 2 fingers behind your head to add some resistance.

Start doing these stretches to take the pressure off your neck and upper back, get rid of headaches, start to improve Dowager’s hump. Would you like help getting rid of Dowager’s Hump? Click here to schedule your appointment!

Have you ever looked at yourself from the side, either in a mirror or in a photo and notice a hump on the back of your neck or maybe one of your friends or family members graciously pointed out that you had a neck hump?

One of the most common questions I get in practice from patients that complain of neck issues is what is that hump or what can I do to eliminate my neck hump? Usually it’s of minimal concern outside of what it looks like, however some people are self-conscious about it.

Some people still refer to this as a Dowager’s hump, a hunchback, a buffalo hump, or forward head posture. The technical term is a ‘Dorsocervical fat pad’. The reason for that name is because it is an accumulation of fat tissue on the dorsal part of the spine on the back of the neck.

What Causes a Neck Hump?

There are many causes to a hump forming on the back of your neck, but I’m going to discuss three main causes I see daily in practice:

• Medications/Medical Conditions

Steroids like prednisone or conditions like Cushing syndrome can cause an accumulation of fat on the back of the neck. Also being over weight can also make this area appear bigger than it is as C7 generally protrudes at this junction in the spine.

Compression fractures from weakened bones in the thoracic spine can cause the spine to hunch forward.

Three postural patterns can also create a neck hump to form: thoracic hyper-kyphosis, cervical kyphosis, and forward head posture.

Why Does Fat Accumulate?

Outside of medications and certain medical conditions, when it comes to a neck hump being caused by poor posture, there seems to be a predominate theory about why fat accumulates in the area of the cervical-thoracic spine junction.

Some have theorized that fat is laid down in the area to help protect this area of the spine. This is a very sensitive area of the spine. As you can imagine, just an inch or 2 deep below the surface of the skin is your spinal cord. The spinal cord is the lifeline of your body. It is protected by the vertebrae. Because your spinal cord has the important job of transmitting information from the brain to all the parts of your body, it should be protected. So it is likely because of the body’s intelligence that it likely lays fat down there to protect that area because it is now protruding and more vulnerable to injury.

How Can You Fix It?

You should always consult your health care provider (like your chiropractor) to first determine the cause of your neck hump. Once it is determined that yours is caused by a postural problem, your chiropractor will provide a correction plan to help reduce or eliminate your neck hump through specific exercises, stretches/traction, and adjustments.

However, one exercise I find very helpful is a ‘modified’ Y-W-T exercise that you can start doing at home immediately. You can learn how to do it in this video:

Part 1 of 3

Fixing the hump at the back of your neck will take some effort and time. Just like any other health goal, being persistent will allow you to be successful.

Be well,

P.S. Here is PART 2 and 3 to wrap up my “How to fix a neck hump” series:

Part 2 of 3

Part 3 of 3

Looked in the mirror one day and realised that there seems to be a hump at the base of your neck? That’s what Doctors usually call a “Dowager’s Hump” — originating from the meaning of the word “Dowager” which is an elderly lady! This is because the neck hump used to only be a problem for older women as the spine naturally undergoes ageing processes… But unfortunately, we are seeing it more and more often in younger people. 

So why are we seeing it more frequently in young people? That can be explained with prolonged computer or phone usage. As your neck pokes forward more and more during long screen times when your neck & back muscles fatigue, it creates a counter-strain at the base of your neck. The spine there stiffens up to create a more ‘stable’ base of support for your protruding neck, hence creating the bump! 

Although it does not bring any harm once it appears, it tells a very good story of what is happening to your spine under the skin and muscles: AGEING. Prolonged stress on the spine which causes the Dowager’s Hump is going to fasten the ageing process, and may cause further problems as you get older (slipped discs, nerve compression, muscle imbalances). 

Here are three stretches to do daily to increase the mobility in the mid-back and strengthen the spine to prevent the hump from getting worse!

1. Put both hands on the wall. Keeping your back straight, hinge your hips backwards and slowly drop your chest down to the floor.
2. Don’t allow your head to drop down towards the floor. Keep it tucked in, aligned with your spine.
3. You should feel the stretch in your chest and mid-back.
4. This will stretch out tight muscles in your chest and mobilise the stiff spine in your mid-back.

1. Seated against the wall, push your head back against the wall. 
2. Elongate your head to the ceiling and keep your chin tucked in (like you’re creating a double chin)!
3. This will engage & strengthen the small muscles in your neck which will help to keep your head upright when you’re working at the computer, putting less strain on your spine.

1. Sitting straight, place your hands behind your head. Push your head towards your palms, creating a chin tuck like the exercise above.
2. While maintaining the chin tuck, rotate your body to the right. 
3. You should feel the stretch in your mid-back, and the muscles at the base of your neck activating. Repeat to the left.
4. This combines a stretch of the stiff spine (where the hump comes from), and engages the muscles at the top of the neck (to strengthen the neck) — you get the best of both worlds. 

Perform these exercises morning and night daily, and you’ll be able to see a difference as you keep consistent with it. If you’re finding it hard to do right, or are feeling pain while doing these exercises, contact us for an appointment (in person or online)!