Man in Taiwan suffers stroke from sudden cold after hot shower

A routine shower ended in a medical emergency for a 30 year old man in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, who suffered a stroke triggered by sudden exposure to cold after stepping out of the bath. Doctors have used this incident to highlight the dangers of abrupt temperature changes and to advocate for public awareness of stroke symptoms encapsulated by the F.A.S.T. mnemonic.

On a chilly day, the man, after enjoying the warmth of a hot shower, experienced a severe headache as soon as his bare feet touched the cold floor. This was quickly followed by weakness in his right arm and leg and slurred speech. His family acted swiftly, rushing him to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a stroke. His blood pressure had soared to dangerously high levels.

Chen Deyuan, the head of neurosurgery at the hospital, reported that on one particular day, six consecutive stroke patients were admitted,…