Hump, dowager

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 duchess) and property because of her marriage to him. Dowager hump, or dowager's hump, is formally known in medicine as postmenopausal cervical kyphosis. It is due to osteoporotic changes in the cervical spine. It may affect men or women. Like most osteoporotic changes, it is often preventable.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • 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 — 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… …   Medical dictionary

  • hump — A rounded protuberance or bulge. buffalo h. SYN: buffalo type. dowager h. postmenopausal cervical kyphosis of older women due to osteoporosis and compression fractures of vertebra. Hampton h. a juxtapleural pulmonary soft tissue …   Medical 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'shump — dow·a·ger s hump (douʹə jərz) n. An abnormal curvature of the spine that is primarily manifested as a rounded hump in the upper back. Typically affecting older women, the curvature is a result of collapse of the spinal column, caused by… …   Universalium

  • 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

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