A man in Fujian, China, reportedly suffered a stroke after raising his pillow to around 20 centimetres in an attempt to relieve neck pain caused by a stiff neck.
According to Chinese media, the man had been experiencing shoulder and neck discomfort after waking up with what is commonly known as a “stiff neck”. Hoping to reduce the pain, he slept with a much higher pillow than usual, believing it would provide better support.
However, when he woke up the following morning, he experienced weakness and numbness on the right side of his body, along with slurred speech. He was rushed to hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with an acute ischaemic stroke affecting the basal ganglia region of his brain.
Health experts, including China’s Guangdong Health Commission, have warned that using a pillow that is too high may increase the risk of vertebral artery dissection, a condition in which the lining of an artery supplying blood to the brain becomes damaged. The condition is recognised as one of the potential causes of stroke.
Medical specialists explained that an excessively high pillow forces the neck into an unnatural forward position, placing pressure on the vertebral arteries and reducing blood flow to the brainstem. Continuous strain may also damage the inner lining of the blood vessels, increasing the risk of blood clot formation. If a clot breaks loose, it can block blood flow to the brain and trigger a stroke.
Experts stressed that while a high pillow alone does not necessarily cause a stroke, poor neck positioning may contribute to the risk in susceptible individuals, particularly if underlying vascular conditions are present.
Doctors recommend that when lying on your back, your pillow should compress to approximately the height of your clenched fist. When sleeping on your side, the pillow should be roughly the same height as the width of one shoulder to keep the head, neck and spine properly aligned.
They also advised against attempting to treat persistent neck pain simply by raising the pillow. Instead, anyone experiencing ongoing or severe neck pain should seek medical evaluation to identify the underlying cause and receive appropriate treatment.
