HealthyLife Articles

Tag: fainting

  • Fainting & Unconsciousness

    First Aid

    Signs & Symptoms

    Fainting is a brief loss of consciousness. It can last from seconds to 30 minutes. Just before fainting, a person may feel a sense of dread, feel dizzy, see spots, and have nausea.

    If a person falls and can’t remember the fall itself, he or she has fainted.

    An unconscious person is hard to rouse and can’t be made aware of his or her surroundings. The person is unable to move on his or her own.

    Causes

    Fainting is due to a sudden drop in blood flow or glucose supply to the brain. This causes a temporary drop in blood pressure and pulse rate. Medical reasons for this include:

    *  Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). This can occur in diabetics, in early pregnancy, in persons on severe diets, etc.

    *  Anemia. Eating disorders.

    *  Conditions which cause rapid loss of blood.

    *  Abnormal heart rhythm. Heart attack. Stroke.

    *  Head injury. Heat stroke. Heat exhaustion.

    Other things that can lead to feeling faint or fainting include:

    *  A sudden change in body position like standing up too fast. This is called postural hypotension.

    *  A side effect of some medicines. Drinking too much alcohol.

    *  Anxiety or sudden emotional stress or fright.

    *  Being in hot, humid weather or in a stuffy room. Standing a long time in one place.

    *  Extreme pain.

    Treatment

    Treatment depends on the cause.

    Questions to Ask

    Self-Care / Prevention

    For Unconsciousness

    *  Check for a response. Call 9-1-1! Give Rescue Breaths and CPR, or treat for Shock, as needed.

    *  Check for a medical alert tag or information. Call the emergency number if there is one. Follow instructions given.

    *  Don’t give the person anything to eat or drink, not even water.

    For Fainting

    *  Catch the person before he or she falls.

    *  Lie the person down with the head below heart level. Raise the legs 8 to 12 inches to promote blood flow to the brain. If the person can’t lie down, have him or her sit down, bend forward, and put the head between the knees.

    *  Loosen any tight clothing.

    *  Don’t slap or shake a person. Don’t give anything to eat or drink.

    *  Check for a medical alert tag. Respond as needed.

    To Reduce the Risk of Fainting

    *  Follow your doctor’s advice to treat any medical problem which may lead to fainting. Take medicines as prescribed. Let the doctor know about any side effects.

    *  Get up slowly from bed or from a chair.

    *  Avoid turning your head suddenly.

    *  Wear loose-fitting clothing around the neck.

    *  Don’t exercise too much when it is hot and humid. Drink a lot of fluids when you exercise.

    *  Avoid stuffy rooms and hot, humid places. When you can’t do this, use a fan.

    *  If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.

    For a Low Blood Sugar Reaction

    *  Have a sugar source, such as: One half cup of fruit juice or regular (not diet) soda; 6 to 7 regular (not sugar free) hard candies; 3 glucose tablets; or 6 to 8 ounces of milk.

    *  If you don’t feel better after 15 minutes, take the same amount of sugar source again. If you don’t feel better after the second dose, call your doctor.

    Healthier at Home book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • Fainting

    Women’s Health

    Fainting is a brief loss of consciousness. It can last from seconds to 30 minutes.

    Signs & Symptoms

    Just before fainting, a person may feel a sense of dread and feel dizzy. She may see spots and have nausea. Her face may turn pale, she could go into a cold sweat, and she could fall over.

    If a person falls and can’t remember the fall itself, she has fainted.

    Causes

    Fainting is due to a sudden drop in blood flow or glucose supply to the brain. This causes a temporary drop in blood pressure and pulse rate. Medical reasons for this include:

    *  Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). This is common in early pregnancy. It can also occur in diabetes, in persons on severe diets, etc.

    *  Anemia.

    *  Any condition that causes a rapid loss of blood. This can be from internal bleeding, such as with a peptic ulcer, a tubal pregnancy, or a ruptured cyst.

    *  Heart and circulatory problems, such as abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack, or stroke.

    *  Eating disorders.

    *  Toxic shock syndrome (TSS).

    *  Seizures.

    Other Causes of Fainting

    *  Any procedure that stretches the cervix, such as having an IUD inserted.

    *  Extreme pain.

    *  A sudden change in body position, such as standing up too fast.

    *  Sudden emotional stress or fright.

    *  A side effect of some prescription drugs, such as some that lower blood pressure.

    *  Recreational drugs or excessive alcohol.

    *  Being in hot, humid weather or being in a stuffy room.

    Know what to do when someone faints.

    Dos

    *  Catch the person before she falls.

    *  Lie the person down with her head below the level of the heart. Raise the legs 8 to 12 inches to promote blood flow to the brain. If the person can’t lie down, have her sit down, bend forward, and put her head between her knees.

    *  Turn the person’s head to the side so the tongue doesn’t fall back into the throat and to prevent choking on vomit.

    *  Loosen any tight clothing, but keep the person warm, especially if the surroundings are chilly.

    *  Apply moist towels to the person’s face and neck.

    Don’ts

    *  Don’t slap or shake anyone who’s just fainted.

    *  Don’t try to give the person anything to eat or drink, not even water, until she is fully conscious.

    *  Don’t allow the person who’s fainted to get up until the sense of physical weakness passes. Then be watchful for a few minutes to be sure she doesn’t faint again.

    Questions to Ask

    Self-Care / Prevention

    *  When you feel faint, lie down and elevate both legs. Or, sit down, bend forward and put your head between your knees.

    *  Get up slowly from bed or from a sitting position.

    *  Follow your doctor’s advice to treat any condition which may lead to fainting. Take prescribed medicines, but tell your doctor about any side effects, so he or she can monitor your condition.

    *  Don’t wear tight clothing around your neck.

    *  Avoid turning your head suddenly.

    *  Stay out of stuffy rooms and hot, humid places. If you can’t, use a fan.

    *  If you have fainting spells often, avoid activities that can put lives in danger, such as driving a car.

    *  Drink a lot of fluids, but drink alcoholic ones in moderation, if at all. Eat small, frequent meals.

    When Pregnant

    *  Get out of bed slowly.

    *  Keep crackers at your bedside and eat a few before getting out of bed.

    *  Eat small, frequent meals instead of a few large ones. With each meal, have a good source of protein, such as lean meat, low-fat cheese, milk, etc. Avoid sweets. Don’t skip meals or go for a long time without eating. Drink plenty of fluids.

    *  Don’t sit for long periods of time. Elevate your legs when you sit.

    *  When you stand, as in a line, move your legs to pump blood up to your heart.

    *  Take vitamin and mineral supplements, as your doctor prescribes.

    *  Don’t lay on your back during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of your pregnancy. Lie on your left side. When you can’t, lie on your right side.

    Women's Self-Care book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine