Dowager's hump

Dowager's hump
An abnormal outward curvature of the vertebrae of upper back. Compression of the front (anterior) portion of the involved vertebrae leads to forward bending of the spine (kyphosis) and creates a hump at the upper back. Dowager's hump is due to osteoporosis changes in the thoracic spine. It may affect men or women. Like most osteoporotic changes, it is often preventable.

* * *

dow·a·ger's hump 'dau̇-i-jərz- n an abnormal outward curvature of the upper back with round shoulders and stooped posture caused esp. by bone loss and anterior compression of the vertebrae in osteoporosis

* * *

popular name for dorsal kyphosis caused by multiple wedge fractures of the thoracic vertebrae seen in osteoporosis.

Dowager's hump. Marked thoracic kyphosis due to multiple osteoporotic fractures (A) and corresponding radiograph. (B).


Medical dictionary. 2011.

Look at other dictionaries:

  • dowager's hump — n. a condition caused by osteoporosis in which the shoulders are rounded and the spine becomes prominently bowed, forming a hump in the upper back …   English World dictionary

  • dowager's hump — dow′ager s hump′ n. inf pat a type of kyphosis, common in older women, in which the shoulders become rounded and the upper back develops a hump …   From formal English to slang

  • dowager's hump — /daʊədʒəz ˈhʌmp/ (say dowuhjuhz hump) noun → widow s hump …  

  • dowager's hump — a type of kyphosis, common in older women, in which the shoulders become rounded and the upper back develops a hump: caused by osteoporosis resulting in skeletal deformity. Cf. lordosis. * * * …   Universalium

  • dowager's hump — noun The hump like projection seen on the back of older people caused by kyphosis of the spine, consequent to osteoporosis; especially seen in women …   Wiktionary

  • dowager's hump — curvature of the spine in the cervical (neck) and upper thoracic region caused by osteoporosis. Compare: buffalo hump …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • dowager's hump — noun Date: 1948 an abnormal outward curvature of the upper back with round shoulders and stooped posture caused especially by bone loss and anterior compression of the vertebrae in osteoporosis …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • dowager's hump — noun forward curvature of the spine resulting in a stoop, typically in women with osteoporosis …   English new terms dictionary

  • dowager's hump — noun abnormal spinal curvature that results when osteoporosis causes the spine to collapse; seen most often in elderly women • Hypernyms: ↑spinal curvature, ↑osteoporosis …   Useful english dictionary

  • Hump, dowager — An outward curvature of the vertebrae of neck, creating a hump at the back of the neck, once thought to be a characteristic deformity of older women. A dowager was a woman of high social rank whose husband was dead but who had a title (such as… …   Medical dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”