How to Deal with Fainting

Fainting is a brief and sudden loss of consciousness. Sobriety is usually fully restored shortly thereafter. ^{[1] X Gauer Research Source RL. Evaluation of Syncope. Am Fam Physician. 2011;84(6):640-650.} Fainting, or syncope syndrome in medical terms, is caused by a temporary lack of blood to the brain and a drop in blood pressure. In most cases, the victim regains consciousness within a minute or two of the time of fainting. ^{[2] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to source} Many causes of fainting can lead to fainting, ranging from dehydration, standing up suddenly from prolonged sitting to serious heart disease. What do you do when you see someone or yourself faint?

Table of Contents

Handling Someone Else’s Fainting Situation

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Stay calm when trying to help someone who faints. If you notice someone about to faint, try to hold him/her and help him/her slowly lie down. When fainting, the victim cannot use his arms to protect himself when he falls. Preventing the victim from hitting the ground will prevent head injuries or other serious injuries.

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Place the victim in a supine position. Pat or shake the casualty to see if she is recovering consciousness. In most cases, a person who faints can quickly regain consciousness (usually 20 seconds to 2 minutes). ^{[3] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}

When fainting, the victim falls down and the head is at heart level. In this position, it is easier for the heart to pump blood to the brain. Therefore, recovery can come as suddenly as fainting. ^{[4] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}
When the victim regains consciousness, ask about any pre-existing medical conditions or symptoms that may have caused the fainting. Symptoms such as headaches, seizures, numbness or tingling, chest tightness or shortness of breath are all worrisome. In such cases, you should call for emergency services (EMS). ^{[5] X Research Sources}

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Help the casualty rest when he wakes up. Loosen clothing (such as a collar or tie) to make the victim more comfortable.

Lay the casualty down and rest for at least 15-20 minutes. As a result, the blood has enough time to reach the brain. ^{[6] X Research Source}
Give victim space to breathe and fan them with fresh air. If the incident happens in a public place, curious crowds often gather around. Ask people to back off unless they can really help.
Once the victim is awake and stable, provide water and/or food – they aid recovery. Dehydration and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) are common causes of fainting.
Do not let the victim get up too quickly. Encourage her to lie down for a few more minutes, allowing the brain to be fully supplied with blood. Getting up too quickly can cause the victim to faint again. In addition, after waking up, the victim may try to pretend nothing happened, get up and walk quickly after the accident.
If the victim has had a head injury, has additional symptoms (such as shortness of breath, chest pain, severe headache, etc.), or pre-existing medical conditions (pregnancy, heart attack, etc.), she should be examined. doctor.

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Check the pulse if the person does not regain consciousness. ^{[7] X Research Source} Call or have someone else call 911. Also, ask someone to find an automatic extrathoracic defibrillator (ADE). Check the neck pulse because this is where the pulse is strongest. Place your index and middle fingers on the casualty’s neck, on one side of the windpipe, and feel the pulse. ^{[8] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Check pulse on each side in turn. Concurrent testing may interfere with the blood supply to the brain.
If pulse is present, try to raise the casualty’s leg 30 cm to 1 m above the ground. This will aid blood flow to the brain.

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Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if no pulse is found. If you are not familiar with CPR, ask if there is a medical professional nearby. ^{[9] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Kneel next to the victim.
Place one hand on the center of the victim’s chest, making contact with the palm of your hand.
Place your other hand on top of the first.
Keep your elbows straight.
Use your full body weight to press down on the victim’s chest.
The chest should be pressed down at least 5 m each time.
Do chest compressions at a rate of about 100 times per minute.
Continue chest compressions until ambulance arrives and takes the victim.

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Stay calm and reassure the victim. Staying calm and in control of the situation can make all the difference.

Handling the situation of self-fainting

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Learn to recognize the signs of impending fainting. The best thing you can do when you know you are prone to fainting is to learn to recognize the signs. In the meantime, keep a notebook or diary of your own symptoms. If you know in advance that you are going to faint, you can take appropriate precautions and avoid serious injury. Signs that you may be about to faint include: ^{[10] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to source}

Nausea, dizziness or lightheadedness
Seeing black or white spots or having blurred or tunneled vision
Feeling very hot or sweating
Stomach upset

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Find somewhere to lie down if you feel like you’re about to faint. Raise your legs, allowing blood to flow to the brain.

If you can’t lie down, sit down and put your head between the pillows.
Rest for 10-15 minutes.

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Deep breath. Inhale deeply through the nose and exhale through the mouth. This also helps to calm you down.

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Call for help. Calling for help is a good thing because it alerts others to your condition. They can hold you when you fall, put you in a position to help you recover, and call your doctor when needed.

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Try to stay safe when you faint. If fainting is felt, it is extremely important to stay away from potential hazards and minimize the severity of the fainting episode.

For example, get yourself into a position where you can avoid sharp objects when falling.

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Take preventive steps to avoid fainting in the future. In some cases, fainting can be prevented by taking steps to prevent and avoid the factors that can trigger fainting. Prevention steps include:

Stay hydrated and eat often: Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water and other fluids is important, especially on a hot day. Along with eating regularly, a healthy menu can improve feelings of dizziness and weakness caused by hunger.
Avoiding Stressful Situations: For some people, fainting is caused by stressful situations, sadness, or anxiety. Therefore, it is important to stay calm by avoiding these situations as much as possible.
Avoid drugs, alcohol and tobacco: They are full of toxins that are not good for general health and cause fainting in some people.
Avoid rapid position changes: Fainting is sometimes caused by sudden movements such as getting up too quickly from a sitting or lying position. Stand up slowly and, if possible, hold onto something sturdy for balance.

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Talk to your doctor if fainting continues. If fainting is frequent or relatively frequent, you should talk to your doctor. Fainting can be a symptom of a more serious underlying problem such as heart disease or orthostatic hypotension.

You should also see your doctor if you hit your head while fainting, are pregnant, have diabetes, have heart problems or any other underlying problem, or if you have accompanying symptoms such as chest tightness. , loss of consciousness or difficulty breathing. ^{[11] X Trusted Source National Health Service (UK) Go to Source}
Your doctor will review your medical history to determine the cause of your fainting. Further tests such as an electrocardiogram or blood test may also be done.

Warning

Due to changes in hormones, fainting can become frequent during pregnancy. In the later stages of pregnancy, the expanding uterus can put pressure on the blood vessels and affect the return of blood to the heart. Thereby, leading to fainting in pregnant women.
Fainting is more common in women than men. It is also more common in people 75 years of age and older. ^{[12] X Cleveland Clinic Trusted Source Go to Source}

Steps

Handling Someone Else’s Fainting Situation

Handling the situation of self-fainting

Warning

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