Evanescence guitarist says headbanging caused stroke

Evanescence guitarist Terry Balsamo told Ultimate-Guitar.com that headbanging on stage caused him to have a stroke a year ago. Balsamo explained, "When I went in the hospital, my whole left side was paralyzed. All of my vitals were fine, my blood pressure and cholesterol and all that crap. So they had no idea what was going on...the doctor came back in the room and he was like, 'Have you ever had any neck injuries like from a car accident or anything?' And I was like, 'No.' Then we were like, 'Other than banging his head all day and every night for an hour and a half.' I've always had a weird thing in my neck doing that, but I never would have thought it would have given me a stroke."

Balsamo added that the doctors saw a clot in an artery in his neck that caused the stroke, and suspected that the clot was brought about by headbanging.

As for his current condition, Balsamo said, "I still have paralysis in my left arm and hand. I'm like at enough where I can get by on tour. Basically this tour is like therapy right now for me."

Balsamo had his stroke last November while Evanescence was recording its second major label album, The Open Door. The former Cold axeman replaced founding Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody in late 2003.

Evanescence is touring in support of The Open Door, which debuted at Number One on the Billboard album chart last month and is on its way to selling a million copies. The group just completed a North American trek and is now on the road in Europe.
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