A 13-year-old boy in Zhengzhou, Henan province, has been hospitalised with a brain haemorrhage after soaking in a near-40°C hot bath for about 20 minutes, raising serious concerns over the dangers of prolonged exposure to high-temperature baths.
The incident happened on January 12, according to Urban Reports. The teenager had gone to a local bathhouse to shower and soak but did not drink any water during the session.
While preparing to get a body scrub, staff noticed he was unresponsive and immediately sent him to hospital.
Doctors said the extreme heat, combined with long soaking time and dehydration, caused the boy’s blood vessels to expand rapidly while his blood became thicker and more concentrated, leading to poor circulation and triggering a brain bleed.
Medical experts have since warned that hot baths, especially without proper hydration, can be dangerous and may lead to fainting, strokes or other life-threatening conditions, particularly for children and the elderly.
