A lot of people have poor postures. They do not sit straight, neither do they stand straight. These bad postures cause problems such as kyphosis, flat back, sway head, and others. A lump can develop in the neck due to bad posture. This lump is called the dowager’s hump or postural kyphosis.
In this article, we shall look into bad posture neck lump; how they are related.
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What is Dowager’s Hump?
The dowager’s hump is a forward bending/tilting of the spine. This outward curvature from the upper back and the compression of the front parts of the vertebrae forces the person to lean forward, bend their shoulders and round their back, which in turn creates a permanent bump on the upper back.
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The dowager’s hump, however, does not develop overnight. It can start as a minor condition known as Buffalo Hump – another non-medical term – refers to a fat deposit at the base of the neck that results from a forward-tilted head posture.
Over time, this buffalo hump can become a more pronounced Dowager hump as a result of compression micro-fractures in the vertebra (derived from leaning too far forward).
The dowager’s hump can develop in both men and women. This condition, which doctors call kyphosis, results from a chronic forward tilt, an all too common posture in our world of computer screens and other devices. Over time, bad posture can cause you to develop an abnormal curve of the upper vertebrae, i.e neck lump and a mass of tissue at the bottom of the neck.
If not treated properly, it can have serious consequences, such as hyperkyphosis and vertebral fractures. However, if you notice a small lump on the back of your neck in time, you can get rid of it completely by correcting muscle imbalances and changing some of your daily habits like your posture.
Causes of Dowager’s Hump
There are a number of possible causes for a person to develop this condition. Sometimes it is the result of severe osteoporosis, a disease that causes thinning of the bones.
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However, in most cases, bad posture is the cause of neck lump. This occurs when you have your head in a more forward position than it ought to be. This may be due to a person’s posture or tilting forward while working on a computer. This leads to an accumulation of calcium in the neck area which creates the lump.
Bone deformities that can appear with osteoporosis cause the spine to bend, giving the appearance of a lump. This medical condition is called kyphoscoliosis.
The dowager’s hump can also be caused by certain medications. For example, those taking medication to treat AIDS may develop a curvature of the spine as a side effect.
In addition, a condition known as Cushing’s syndrome, which causes the body to produce too much cortisol, can also cause a dowager’s hump. However, it is a rare condition, so it is often not the underlying cause.
Finally, the long-term use of steroids can also play a role in the development of this condition. Steroids can be found in medications such as those that treat asthma.
How Bad Posture Cause Neck Lump
When incorrect posture occurs repeatedly, it can affect muscles, nerves, connective tissue, joints, or spinal discs. As your posture becomes less neutral, the muscles responsible for movement on the side you use more become stronger and the muscles on the side you use less elongate and become weak. This creates a muscle imbalance and often causes injuries.
Injuries can occur from repetitive movements that are not particularly difficult, such as ergonomic injuries at work or the text neck. A common overuse syndrome. Injury can also occur when you become active and your body tries to compensate for the imbalance, often creating joint instability or misalignment.
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A neck lump is usually accompanied by forward head posture which is a bad posture. The forward head posture is a condition where the head sticks out of its normal alignment. In this posture, you add about 10-12 pounds of extra force on your neck for every inch of the protrusion. This is the reason why making a conscious effort to improve your posture should become your daily routine.
The forward head posture is often accompanied by forward shoulders and a rounded upper back, which can cause more pain in the neck, upper back and/or shoulders.
The longer you maintain bad posture, such as bending over a computer or lying on the couch, the more neck pain, stiffness, neck lump, and other symptoms develop.
Treatment of Neck Lump
If left untreated, a person will start to have shoulder and neck pain. Your chin will move closer to your rib cage and the end result could be spinal degeneration.
New muscles will come into play to help support your head because the normal muscles that perform this task will no longer be able to do so. These new muscles will be under constant tension due to overuse. This causes pain in the area, in addition to the physical deformation of the spine.
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It does not matter if your neck lump is as a result of bad posture or not, it can be treated. But for some people, it can be completely cured. There are also exercises that you can do that will help you prevent the lump in the first place and reverse it once it has formed.
If you are always often bent forward you are putting an additional weight that pulls and strains the back.
This forward curve is bad for the discs and increases the risk of disc problems and neck fatigue. Our muscles are not made for this type of curve. This can cause pain in the upper and lower back.
Maintaining good posture is the best way to prevent this problem. Also, try to prevent osteoporosis from progressing to prevent the spine from developing compression fractures, which increases the forward curve of the upper back.
An exercise that will help you with dowager’s hump is the Hump straightener.
Additional exercises that will help with this condition include:
- Back extensions
- Abdominal press
- Lunges
- Bridge
- Quadruped
Prevention of Neck Lump
Whether your neck hump is caused by bad posture or other underlying causes, they can be preventable. There are several ways to avoid this health problem:
- Increase your calcium intake: Pre and postmenopausal women should increase their daily calcium intake to 1,800 milligrams per day. Be sure to consult your doctor to make sure this dose is safe and does not conflict with other medications.
- Exercise: Weight-bearing exercises, such as strength training, can help increase bone density over time. In addition, yoga can also promote good posture and alignment, as well as flexibility.
- Healthy eating: Diets rich in fruits and vegetables can help. Make sure you include these in your meals. Also avoid sodas, which can have a negative effect on bone density due to phosphoric acid in some colas. Some doctors also believe that caffeine can make bone porous.
- Correct your posture: It is never a bad idea to be aware of your posture. Bad posture is the main cause of a neck lump. Therefore, try not to lean forward or round your shoulders, even while sitting in front of a keyboard or watching TV on the couch.
- To correct your posture while walking, find your center by standing straight and tall. Keep your chin parallel to the floor, shoulders back and stomach inward. Let the arms fall naturally to the sides. Imagine that a rope comes from the ceiling and pulls you upright. Visualize the rope each time you need to return to the correct position.
- To correct your sitting posture, it is preferable to modify the surface on which you are sitting. You can reach the correct position by rolling up a small blanket and placing it under the sit bones; This will help keep the knees below the hips.
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Summary
Bad posture can cause neck lump. However, neck lump is treatable and preventable. All you need to do is to watch your weight, correct your posture, control your sleeping posture, train your back muscles, stretch your neck muscles, massage yourself and carry out other bone-strengthening exercises.
If you have a dowager’s hump, you don’t have to suffer it. Be sure to talk with your doctor so he can help you determine the cause and provide you with the best treatment options, and don’t forget these tips and exercises to help prevent and cure the disease as well.
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