What can make going to a barber or beauty salon dangerous?
One does not always remember that potentially all of our daily activities can unexpectedly present a threat to life and limb. Yet, it can happen.
The story that we are going to tell you about today, exposes a risk in a place and moment when you certainly would not be afraid for your own safety.
The scenario is set in London and the victim is a man who had been going regularly to his barber to get his hair washed and cut.
Dave Tyler was struck down five years ago by a stroke. The episode took place three days after having had his hair washed and cut by his barber.
The facts could be interpreted as totally disconnected, yet, they do have an unsuspected connection. The man in question began to feel an inexplicable headache and a drowsiness that very quickly spread to the entire right side of his body. He did not know it, but he was having a stroke!
Today Dave is paralyzed and is unable to perform any physical actions without the assistance of another person.
How is it possible that a healthy man like Dave was suddenly struck down by a stroke? What did this have to do with going to the barber's to get a haircut?
This is a rare incident, but it does happen and it is called "the beauty parlor stroke syndrome".
At the barbershop or at the beauty salon, customers are accommodated in a chair with the back of their heads resting on a hair-washing sink. This sink is equipped with a special cut-out that allows the hair to washed and also usually with a headrest that supports the neck.
Dave's mistake was to tilt his head and neck back too quickly which damaged the arteries and a blood clot formed. This blood clot reduced the inflow of blood to the brain thereby increasing the risk of having a stroke. Obviously, the people most endangered are those who suffer from circulatory problems and neck arthritis.
For this reason, it is advisable to rest the back of the neck on the hair washing sink and never tilt your neck back more than 15 degrees.
The Dr. S/Youtube
It is also advisable to ask for a towel to put behind your neck to make sitting in that position more comfortable.
This incident is something almost no one thinks about but it is nevertheless, important to know. Please share this article to prevent tragic accidents like what happened to Dave from happening.
