Can sunbathing lead to brain haemorrhage?

Sunbathing for long proved costly for an elderly woman in China. The 67-year-old reportedly suffered a brain haemorrhage and slipped into a coma after sunbathing her back for two hours in intense summer heat.

The incident has spread shockwaves across mainland China. While there are advantages of sunbathing, the exposure to the sun for long comes with its own risks.

Let’s take a closer look.

What is sunbathing?

Sunbathing is the act of lying or sitting in the sun. The exposure to the star at the heart of our solar system in small doses could have benefits.

People can get adequate levels of Vitamin D from sunbathing. The vitamin helps in maintaining the balance of calcium in blood and bones and boosts the immune system.

“To strengthen our immune system, it’s proving that you have to sunbathe and another thing that improves is the levels of vitamin D in blood,” dermatologist Mónica Morcos González, of TecSalud, told TecScience in an interview.

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Sunbathing leads to brain haemorrhage in Chinese woman

The woman, identified only by her surname Wang, in China’s Zhejiang province, suffered severe brain damage after sunbathing for two hours, as per a South China Morning Post (SCMP) report.

She was attempting a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) remedy that claimed “sunbathing your back can warm the yang energy, dispel dampness and cure illnesses”.

Around noon, in blistering heat, Wang lay face-down in an open area outside her house.

Two hours later, she collapsed and lost consciousness shortly after going back indoors.

The woman was rushed to a hospital where doctors said she had suffered an aneurysmal cerebral haemorrhage and a brain hernia. Despite an emergency operation, she was left in a coma, reported SCMP.

A brain aneurysm, or a cerebral aneurysm, is a weak spot on an artery in the brain that swells and fills with blood, putting pressure on the brain tissue and nerves.

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“An aneurysm can also burst open (or rupture) and release blood into the brain or surrounding area (called a haemorrhage). All aneurysms have the potential to rupture and haemorrhage. A ruptured aneurysm can cause serious health problems such as stroke, brain damage, coma, and even death,” according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Brain herniation happens when brain tissue changes position, creating more pressure inside the skull. The condition, which occurs due to head injury, stroke, or brain tumour, is life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

Wang underwent a series of surgeries and acupuncture that helped her sit up, speak, stand and eventually feed herself.

How much sun is too much?

Sunbathing for too long in scorching heat can be harmful, leading to sun rash, sunburn and even sun poisoning, which includes red itchy bumps on the chest, legs, and arms, as per Healthline.

Experts recommend sunbathing for five to 10 minutes a day during the summer and up to 20 minutes in winter.

Does sunbathing ‘cure’ illnesses?

Doctors say no.

“The saying ‘sunbathing cures all diseases’ has no scientific basis,” Ye Xiangming, Director of the Rehabilitation Department at Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, told SCMP. “Long-term exposure to the sun in high temperatures is extremely dangerous for elderly individuals and those with pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure or cerebrovascular disease, potentially leading to serious issues such as heatstroke or stroke,” Ye added.

Zhuangshi Lihe, a medical influencer with millions of followers on social media, underlined the need for proper sun exposure and heatstroke protection in the summer.

“I have seen many people giving advice on how to properly sunbathe your back; that is just nonsense,” the influencer said to the Hong Kong-based newspaper. “For healthy individuals, the focus should be on sun protection and heatstroke prevention. In this kind of summer heat, staying indoors with air conditioning is the most comfortable choice,” added Zhuangshi.

How to sunbathe carefully

It is imperative to use sunscreen when exposing yourself to the sun . Use SPF 30 or more on uncovered parts of the body at least 15 minutes before stepping outside.

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests wearing sunglasses that block UV rays to protect the skin around your eyes.

Drink water if you are spending prolonged time in the sun.

With inputs from agencies