Leaning back over the sink to have a shampoo in the hair salon can exert pressure on the neck, which in rare cases can lead to a tear in the vertebral artery and a blood clot that interferes with blood flow -- a phenomenon known as "beauty parlor stroke syndrome."
Technically, the condition is known as "vertebral artery dissection from hyperextension of the neck," and the beauty parlor isn't the only culprit, according to a report in . Similar events have been reported following various innocuous events, including stretching, sneezing, and getting out of bed awkwardly.
Experts note that nothing can be done to prevent this, emphasizing that the traditional symptoms of stroke such as paralysis on one side of the body and facial slackness remain the most important signals of stroke.