Fainting from washing the head

I recently read on the social media that someone can faint or slump in the bathroom if you start taking your bath by washing the head first. The posting said that if the head is washed first, the cold water will make blood to rush to the head and rupture the blood vessels to the head. To avoid this, we were advised to start our bath by washing our feet and gradually moving upwards. I want to know if this is true

Abike (by SMS)

There is  no truth or any scientific basis for this belief. However, Individuals with a history of heart problems or stroke are advised to use lukewarm water to bathe, and to prevent chilling during and after taking a bath. For most of us without significant health issues, our body has an excellent compensatory mechanism to make the necessary adjustments to changes in temperature for a reasonable period, and that can easily be done by our bodies during bath.  In many instances, it’s not the bathing but the straining during bowel movement which can trigger a stroke or heart attack in the bathroom. When one strains, when one is constipated, for instance, one holds down one’s breath and bears down excessively—which is called a Valsalva maneuver. This increases the abdominal pressure and helps force out the stools. But this action is also very stressful to the heart and the circulatory system, as it increases the pressure inside the chest, thus reducing the blood flow to the heart. In addition, some elderly and frail individuals slip in the bathroom. When they hit their heads, they suffer bleeding in the brain (subdural hemorrhage). Therefore, one must take precaution—use bath bench or stool, don’t remain standing. Have grab bars installed on the bathroom walls. Spread out bath mats with suction cups to cover slippery surfaces.