Young Man Suffers Stroke Due to Untrained Salon Massage: A Serious Warning on Unqualified Neck Manipulation

Bengaluru 2024: Ramkumar (Name changed), a 30-year-old housekeeping boy suffered a life-threatening stroke following an unexpected incident at a local salon in Bengaluru. While getting a routine haircut, the barber offered him a free head massage. What was meant to be a relaxing experience quickly turned disastrous due to the barber’s inexperience and forceful neck manipulation.

As the barber twisted his neck sharply during the massage, the young man immediately felt an acute pain in his neck. He returned home, unaware of the severity of the injury, but soon began experiencing difficulty in speech, along with weakness in his left arm and leg. Alarmed by these symptoms, he rushed to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a stroke caused by a carotid artery dissection — a rupture in the blood vessel that supplies blood from the heart to the brain.

Dr. Sreekanta Swamy, Lead Senior Consultant - Neurology, Aster RV Hospital, said, quick and unscientific neck movements can cause catastrophic outcomes. In this case, the rapid, forceful twist of the neck caused the blood vessel wall to tear, leading to clot formation and reduced blood flow to the brain, ultimately resulting in the stroke. Fortunately, due to prompt medical attention, the patient was treated with anticoagulants and other therapies, enabling his recovery. He was discharged within a week, but doctors emphasize that others may not be so lucky. There is an urgent need for the public to be aware of the risks associated with unqualified massages, especially those involving neck manipulation.

"Quick, erratic neck movements can lead to dissection of the blood vessels, resulting in life-threatening strokes. It is crucial to avoid unscientific maneuvers or random twisting of the neck, whether done by barbers, taxi drivers trying to relieve tension, or individuals themselves. These actions can have devastating consequences," cautioned Dr. Sreekanta.

While such incidents may be rare, the risk is real and preventable. Trained professionals should only perform any form of neck massage or manipulation. Even gentle neck exercises must be done slowly and under proper guidance. Most of the times, such cases are neglected and go un-reported considering it is a small one time pain caused due to the massage. It is critical to raise public awareness about the importance of seeking only trained professionals for massages and neck manipulations. Random, violent movements, especially around the neck, can result in serious consequences like stroke, paralysis, or even death if not diagnosed or treated appropriately.

The boy took close to two months to recover fully and is back to normal after effective timely treatment by the Doctors,stated a press release.