What does external occipital protuberance mean?
External Occipital Protuberance (EOP) is a normal anatomical structure located on the posterior surface of the occipital bone, at the level of the superior nuchal line.
What does external occipital protuberance feel like?
External Occipital Protuberance – Normal Lump on Back of Head: The lump you feel at the base of the skull in back is normal. It is a bony part of the skull that sticks out and feels hard.
Is external occipital protuberance bad?
Besides, the aforementioned “horns” are actually bone spurs on the external occipital protuberance at the base of the skull, which we all have to some degree. While bone spurs on the external occipital protuberance are unlikely to cause symptoms, poor posture is known to contribute to neck and back pain in many people.
Why do humans have the external occipital protuberance?
The bony growth, which is known as an “external occipital protuberance,” can be found at the back of the skull, just above the base of the neck. The role of the projection is to distribute force over a large area of the bone’s surface and it can arise at spots near ligaments, tendons, or joints.
Does everyone have an Inion?
Each human skull (Homo sapiens) has a natural bump on the back of the head called an inion. This marks the bottom of the skull where it attaches to the neck muscle.
Why does my occipital bone hurt?
What causes occipital neuralgia? Occipital neuralgia may occur spontaneously, or as the result of a pinched nerve root in the neck (from arthritis, for example), or because of prior injury or surgery to the scalp or skull. Sometimes “tight” muscles at the back of the head can entrap the nerves.
Does everyone have an inion?
Is an inion bump normal?
Occipital spurs, also called as occipital knob, occipital bun, chignon or inion hook, is an exaggerated external occipital protuberance (EOP). It is frequently discussed in anthropological literature as a Neanderthal trait but hardly reported and considered as a normal variant in medical literature.
What is Anatolian bump?
An Anatolian bump is a protuberance on the back of the skull said to be related to Asian, Central-Asian & Melungeon ancestry, not to be confused with an external occipital protuberance.