Hyderabad: 50-year-old woman suffers 'beauty parlour stroke syndrome', Neurologist explains on Twitter

Hyderabad: Relaxation became a nightmare for a 50-year-old woman from Hyderabad who recently suffered from beauty parlour stroke syndrome while getting her hair washed in a beauty parlour. The stroke was caused by bilateral compression of the vertebral arteries, which occurs when the head is tilted back over the shampoo sink, in a background of atherosclerosis. 

A week ago, the woman visited a salon to get a haircut in Hyderabad. While the hairdresser was washing the woman's hair with shampoo, she began to feel symptoms like dizziness, nausea & vomiting and was immediately taken to a gastroenterologist.

The doctor found no gastric issues and referred the woman to Dr Sudhir Kumar, senior consultant neurologist at Apollo Hospitals in Jubilee Hills. After conducting an MRI, Dr Sudhir diagnosed that it was a stroke.

Also read- Intensive BP Lowering After Endovascular Thrombectomy Worsens Recovery Among Stroke Patients: Lancet

"Her symptoms did not improve and the next day she developed mild imbalance while walking. She was referred for my opinion. She had mild right cerebellar signs. MRI brain revealed an infarct in the right posterior inferior cerebellar territory, MRI angiogram showed left vertebral hypoplasia," said Dr Sudhir.

"A diagnosis of beauty parlour stroke syndrome involving right PICA territory was made. A possible mechanism is kinking of the vertebral artery during hyperextension & turning of the neck towards the wash basin while washing hair with shampoo. She had well-controlled Hypertension too," he added.

On Sunday (October 30), Dr Sudhir Kumar shared information about the case on Twitter.

He said that stroke affecting vertebro-basilar artery territory can occur during shampoo hair-wash in a beauty parlour, especially in women with other atherosclerotic risk factors and undetected vertebral hypoplasia. Prompt recognition and treatment can prevent disability.

What is Beauty parlour stroke syndrome?

Beauty parlour stroke syndrome (BPSS) is a rare condition characterized by mechanical impingement of a vertebral artery (VA) during neck rotation and/or hyperextension followed by vertebrobasilar insufficiency.

The initial warning signs of beauty parlour stroke syndrome are a little different from those of a typical stroke. They include dizziness and unsteadiness in the hands but can also include migraine-type headaches, some loss of vision or blurred vision, neck swelling, and change of taste.

Also read- Brain stroke cases increasing in younger population