Woman develops ‘buffalo’ hump back and arm lumps after 40 years of drinking

Doctors were baffled by the 64-year-old’s condition after she developed the huge lump on her back, as well as a huge fatty deposit below her neck and smaller lumps on her arms.

Medics turned to the internet and discovered she actually had a rare illness called Madelung disease, usually found in men with alcoholism and diabetes.

It causes fatty tumours called lipomas to form on the torso, with some sufferers developing a so-called ‘buffalo’ hump.

One of the doctors at the Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York who worked on her case described it as “peculiar”.

In the British Medical Journal case report, they wrote: “At first glance, we noticed multiple swellings all over the body – around the neck, upper back and upper extremities, which were very peculiar to the medical team.”

The woman, who has not been named, was sent for tests to ensure the lumps weren’t cancerous.

Scans revealed they were benign fatty lumps on her shoulders, biceps and triceps.

The woman had been suffering from muscle weakness which had been getting progressively worse for a year.

Doctors also reported how she’d been aware of the lumps for five years, but hadn’t done anything about them as she didn’t mind how they looked.

Benign: Scans revealed the fatty deposits weren’t cancerous

She had also been an alcoholic for 40 years, with her last binge being two weeks before she went to the clinic.

It’s not currently known how alcoholism is linked to the condition.

The woman underwent blood tests which revealed she also had ketoacidosis, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition.

This happens when the body starts metabolising fat, which in turn forms waste products called ketones.