A man from Santa Cruz, California, experienced a life-threatening incident when a sneeze caused an artery in his neck to rupture, leading to a stroke.
Ian Applegate, a 35-year-old engineer, was in the car with his wife, Jennifer, and their four-year-old son, Jon, when sudden sneezing led to a severe health crisis. After sneezing three times, Ian was struck by an intense headache, dizziness, and pain that radiated from his neck to his head and eye. This was followed by numbness and pins and needles on his left side.
Rushed to Dominican Hospital, doctors diagnosed him with a stroke caused by a tear in the vertebral artery’s inner lining, which supplies blood to the spinal cord and central nervous system. The forceful sneeze had led to this tear, obstructing the artery and triggering the stroke.
Ian received blood-thinning medication to avert further clots and was monitored in the ICU for 24 hours. Despite medical intervention, Ian faces a challenging recovery, feeling distressed due to various setbacks.
Since the incident on February 9, Ian remains hospitalized, struggling with swallowing and mobility on his left side. He anticipates undergoing rehabilitative therapy for muscle restoration, hoping to return home before the arrival of his second child, due in April.
Ian is now sharing his experience, highlighting his concerns for the future. Reflecting on the day it happened, he noted, “It was my first day back at work after being ill with the flu all week.”
Describing the sequence of events, he recalled, “I sneezed three times; the third one resulted in a blinding headache and dizziness.” Ian immediately suspected a stroke due to the symptoms and described the pain as ‘excruciating.’
The frightening experience has left him anxious about sneezing again and worried about taking care of a newborn. “I’m scared to sneeze now. My wife is eight months pregnant, and I want to be there for the delivery,” he said.
Ian’s sister, Vanessa Applegate, initiated a fundraiser to assist with medical expenses and lost work time. In updates, she described Ian as ‘miserable’ but working diligently to recover.
The fundraiser has garnered over $10,900, highlighting the gravity of Ian’s situation. Vanessa remarked that while the episode could have been worse, Ian’s hospital stay duration remains uncertain.
Ian expressed his desire to be home for his child’s birth, stating, “I can tell I’m going to struggle to take care of myself and the baby. I’m trying to stay positive and continue my exercises until I get better.”