BENGALURU: A routine visit to a local salon turned into a nightmare for a 30-year-old man when a ‘free head massage’ left him battling for his life. Ramkumar (name changed) of Ballari, a housekeeping worker, suffered a stroke after the barber, who was untrained, twisted his neck during a massage.
What should have been a relaxing experience quickly went wrong as the sharp neck manipulation caused Ramkumar intense pain. He thought nothing of it and returned home, but within hours, he started losing his ability to speak and felt weakness on his left side.
When the discomfort continued, Ramkumar rushed to a hospital where doctors confirmed that the forceful neck twisting caused a tear in his carotid artery, cutting off blood flow to his brain and triggering a stroke.
Dr Sreekanta Swamy, Senior Consultant in Neurology at Aster RV Hospital, said Ramkumar suffered a dissection-related stroke which differs from a regular stroke. In this case, the wall of a blood vessel tore due to the neck manipulation, reducing blood flow and triggering the stroke.
Ramkumar was administered anticoagulants or blood thinners to prevent further blockage and stop it from worsening. The patient then returned to his hometown, taking nearly two months to recover fully.
The doctor warned that sudden and improper neck movements can have devastating consequences. In this case, the forceful twist caused a tear in the blood vessel wall, leading to clot formation and reduced blood flow to the brain, resulting in a stroke.
‘Unscientific neck twists can cause strokes’
Rapid, unscientific neck twists — whether by barbers or individuals themselves can cause blood vessel tears, potentially leading to life-threatening strokes, Dr Swamy cautioned.
Doctors stressed that only trained professionals should perform neck massages or manipulations. Even gentle neck exercises must be done slowly and with proper guidance. Experts emphasised that cases like these are often ignored, with people assuming it is just temporary pain from the massage.
Sudden, forceful movements around the neck can lead to serious consequences, including strokes, paralysis, or even death if not properly diagnosed or treated, they highlighted.
A doctor explained that the cervical spine and its surrounding structures are extremely sensitive and play a crucial role in neurological function.
“Excessive force or erratic movements during neck manipulation can cause serious complications,” he said, adding that this occurs when the inner layers of these arteries tear, leading to clot formation and vessel blockage. As a result, blood flow to the brain can be compromised, potentially causing an ischemic stroke.