Dooley Noted: 1/4/2014
I used to loathe getting my hair washed at the salon when I was young. Extending my head back for prolonged periods would make me dizzy and very uncomfortable.
Having the neck in prolonged hyperextension has potential danger. If you look at the anatomy in the picture, the vertebral artery passes right through the sides of cervical (neck) vertebrae. It then takes two 90 degree turns to ascend up the spinal cord and brain stem to feed the posterior circulation of the central nervous system – including the brain.
Prolonged hyperextension may create vertebral artery compromise, particularly in patients with underlying atherosclerosis or connective tissue issues. This can result in a dissecting aneursym, and ultimately, a stroke.
Thus, I choose my hair salon carefully. I make sure the sinks have cutouts in the front, so the neck stays neutral as the head is washed. In the image, you will note that the head is not extended backwards, so the vertebral artery is kept in a neutral, protected position.
Feel free to read the research links below. These researchers note the absolutely legitimate cases in which one’s stroke potential increases with excessive time spent in neck extension.
Even when getting your washed – protect yourself.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10749643
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2647091/
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(05)63607-0/fulltext
