Can pouring water first on head while bathing cause stroke? No, this is false information!

Q: I read an article on social media which says pouring water first on head causes stroke. Is this true, Madam?

Krishna: 

 Can pouring water first on head while bathing cause stroke? No, this is false information.

The claim that pouring water first on the head can cause a stroke is false. There is no scientific evidence to support this assertion. Experts have confirmed that the sequence of bathing does not affect the risk of stroke. The risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity, among others. These factors are more directly related to the occurrence of strokes than the sequence of bathing.

I too saw some posts online (1, 2,3) and although I wanted to tell people that this information is not correct, the individuals who posted it or shared it disabled adding the comments tab, so I couldn't do anything except for downvoting it. Sadly, it is being shared by others. 

Articles circulating online since 2020 claim people often have strokes while in the bathroom because they are showering in the “wrong sequence” by wetting their heads first.

The articles claim this sequence causes the blood to rise to the head quickly and then the arteries can be torn together, causing a stroke.

“According to multiple studies around the world, the cases of death or paralysis due to stroke during bath is increasing day by day. According to doctors, one should take a bath by following some rules while bathing,” the article reads. “If you don’t take a bath following the right rules, you can die too.”

The circulating social media article adds that doctors advise against wetting the head first during bathing as it can accelerate blood circulation, potentially increasing the risk of stroke, particularly for those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or migraines.

The post recommends that bathing should start by soaking the feet, gradually moving upwards, and finally wetting the head.

But the truth is a stroke occurs when the blood supply to parts of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. In the process, parts of the brain become damaged or die. A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death.

Some of the things responsible for stroke include high blood pressure (hypertension), obesity, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, excessive alcohol intake, stress, age, family history, and ethnicity.

Research never mentioned a ‘wrong bathing sequence’ as a risk factor for stroke.

Pouring water on the head primarily impacts the superficial blood vessels, causing them to either constrict or dilate based on the water’s temperature.

However, stroke is not caused by those blood vessels. They are caused by deep-seated blood vessels in the brain. Those ones are not affected by water. So, the claim in the viral article does not have a scientific basis.

Stroke doesn’t happen that way. There are specific reasons why stroke occurs. It has nothing to do with how you bathe, whether you pour water on your head or leg first. It doesn’t change anything or have any relationship with it at all.

Footnotes:

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