Two nights ago, I was in the bathroom washing up and getting ready for bed. My hair was up in a messy bun, I was washing my face and feeling pretty good about sleeping. I love to sleep! Suddenly, my husband says “what is that bump on your back near your neck?” To put this even more into perspective, I’ve been seeing a spinal doctor for some back and hip issues so the last thing I want to hear is that I’ve another issue going on back there. After looking into the mirror, I felt a little bit of shock and dismay. There, at the base of my neck was the dreaded Dowager’s hump! As I was looking at this new bump, I straightened out my posture but it didn’t help.
Que my obsessive personality.
What is Dowager’s Hump?
Dowagers hump was originally named due to older women (more often than men), developing a type of bump at the base of their neck. Originally thought to be an inevitable part of old age, some say it could be reversible if caused by poor posture. Others that have Dowager’s hump may have experienced trauma or degenerative disc disease. I have no idea if I can reverse mine. That didn’t stop me from searching the internet and social media for solutions. I’ve learned a lot and it’s been a bit overwhelming. I’m not aging gracefully!
Dowagers hump happens today to many young people due to computer work, texting, and the over usage of phones. It was incredible how many young men and women were discussing the development of this hump and how they worked to rectify the situation. For those in midlife, a lifelong habit of poor posture can cause spinal deformities, neck issues, and migraines making it even more important to stand up straight! When standing, if your arms are hanging towards the front of your legs, you’re doing it wrong. They should hang by your sides. This means you need to draw your shoulders down and back.
Is there a Solution?
Starting to work with better posture may mean some muscle strain.
I wish I could tell you that sitting up straight makes the appearance of the hump disappear but it does not. It takes a consistent practice of stretching, good posture and ergonomic changes to change your appearance. Over numerous years of poor posture and social media scrolling, your body deposits fat onto that area to help support your head. I did purchase several items on Amazon to fix my posture. The first was the Neck Cloud which claims to lightly stretch the muscles in your neck and help you start working on alignment. The other is a posture brace called the ComfyBrace. Update: I used the Neck Cloud and worked up to twenty minutes and started to feel dizzy. I did go to a chiropractor that told me I should reduce the time spent on the device. It’s comfortable but I didn’t stick to it. I may try again. The Comfy Brace caused my shoulders to be pulled back and caused my net to jet out which exacerbates the problem.
Was it Truly Dowagers Hump?
I did wind up seeking the help of a chiropractor. She said it was NOT Dowager’s hump but was related to some of my spinal issues and of course, my posture. Do you have lovely lady lumps? Did you have some and succeed in ridding yourself of Dowager’s? If so, I would love to hear from you!
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