PEOPLE visit the hairdressers to feel relaxed and pampered, but what they might not know is that a trip to the salon could cause a stroke.

While this sounds far-fetched, experts say this is a legitimate condition known as beauty parlour stroke syndrome.

The initial warning signs of beauty parlour stroke syndrome are very similar to those of a typical stroke.

They include dizziness, unsteadiness, migraine-type headaches, some loss of vision or blurred vision, neck swelling and change of taste.

The medical journal The Lancet published a report by two British doctors about a 42-year-old woman who suffered a stroke after having her hair washed.

The experts said the stroke was due to dissection of her right internal carotid artery.

Her head had been extended backwards for about five minutes while being washed and after the treatment she felt numb and suffered slurred speech.

She made a partial recovery after being treated with blood thinning tablets.

The doctors recommended that hairdressers use a cushion and that clients necks are not overextended.

Lynda Fry from Bishopstoke was visiting a hair salon, as she does once every six weeks, when she began to suffer from blurred vision.

The 61-year-old was having her hair washed followed by a deep head massage when she began to notice a decline in her health.

The hair wash only lasted five minutes, however, having her neck pulled over the hairdresser’s basin without a towel caused a hyper-extension of the neck.

It is this hyper-extension that can cause a tear in the blood vessel, resulting in a blood clot, which can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

The receptionist for Open Sight in Eastleigh said the symptoms only lasted a few minutes, but she felt very uneasy and became worried about her health.

After visiting her GP, Lynda was referred for more expert advice from a consultant.

Daily Echo:

PICTURED: Lynda Fry

When she visited her consultant at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester hospital, the mother of three, was told of the syndrome which can be fatal.

Lynda said: “There was a dreadful sense of foreboding and my anxiety levels are on a higher level now.”

“I would think that most of us at some point have felt uncomfortable whilst leaning back to have our locks washed.

“I have never knew about beauty parlour syndrome and I feel that more should be done to make people aware.

Since the mini stroke Lynda ensures that her head is forward when hair dressers washing her hair.

The Daily Echo contacted ten hairdressers and only one was aware of the syndrome.

Assistant manager at Shine in Highfield, Southampton, Claire Adam said: “We are aware of the syndrome and have various precautions in place.

“In the salon we try to use cushions in order to ensure that clients are comfortable and try not to leave them for a prolonged amount of time.”

While this can really happen to anyone, it’s not extremely common, it’s often found more in people who have some kind of connective tissue disease or underlying health illness, which, unfortunately, they might not be aware of.

Alexis Wieroniey, Deputy Director for Policy and Influencing at the Stroke Association said: “A stroke can sometimes be caused if you tear the lining of an artery in your neck.

“In many cases, there’s no clear reason behind this happening, but for some people it could be the result of an injury.

“There is a very small chance that an injury might be caused by extending your neck back in a chair to have your hair washed, but no definitive link has been established between hair washing and strokes.

“If you are worried about your stroke risk, the most important step you can take is to get your blood pressure checked.

“High blood pressure is the single biggest risk factor for stroke but it is treatable.

“It often presents no symptoms, so many people are unaware that they have it.

“Getting your blood pressure tested only takes a moment and it could save your life, so regular check-ups are extremely important.”