You should also visit your doctor if you faint and have a history of heart disease. Fainting is one way your body communicates something’s out of whack. Scientifically known as syncope, and unscientifically known as passing out, fainting happens when the brain loses consciousness for a moment. It’s triggered by various factors that can disrupt the delicate balance between proper blood flow, oxygen and our nervous systems. Stephen Pallone, MD, UnityPoint Health, explains why someone might faint and what to do when it happens. Syncope can sometimes be linked to deficiencies like low blood sugar or dehydration.
Fainting caused by the vasovagal reflex is often easy to predict. It happens to some people every time they have to get a shot or they see blood. Some people know they are going to faint because they have symptoms beforehand, such as feeling weak, nauseated, hot, or dizzy. After they wake up, they may feel confused, dizzy, or ill for a while. After you lose consciousness and fall or lie down, more blood can flow to your brain so you wake up again.
- Most people who have a simple fainting spell have no underlying heart or neurological (nerve or brain) problem.
- Less common triggers of vasovagal syncope include coughing, straining to have a bowel movement, or urinating while standing up (in men).
- The condition is most common in women, but it can also occur in men.
- It’s probably nothing serious, but it’s important to get checked by a GP to find out what might have caused it.
Urgent Care
Fainting can be a sign of a more serious condition, such as a heart or fainting: causes, symptoms and when to see a doctor brain condition. You may want to consult your healthcare professional after a fainting spell, especially if you’ve never had one before. Vasovagal syncope (vay-zoh-VAY-gul SING-kuh-pee) occurs when you faint because your body overreacts to certain triggers. These may include the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress. In some cases, sudden episodes of fainting can occur when you turn your head to the side. This can be due to pressure on the carotid artery that changes blood flow.
You may act normally and do things such as socializing, eating, driving, and drinking. But your brain is impaired and does not record your memories during this time. When your blood alcohol level reaches 0.15%, you are likely to black out.
- Fainting (also called syncope) is when you suddenly lose consciousness or ‘black out’ for a few seconds.
- If you were injured when you fainted, you probably did not have any warning signs.
- You may have your pulse and blood pressure taken lying down and then again after quickly standing, in order to see what changes are provoked by these different positions.
- If you also experience chest pain or shortness of breath, call 911 right away.
- Fainting tends to affect younger people, although heart conditions and drug interactions often lead older people to pass out.
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Yes, anxiety is a possible trigger of dizziness, and it can also worsen vertigo. Vertigo is another symptom that can be described as dizziness, but it specifically causes sensations of spinning rather than light-headedness. CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help. Infrequent non-heart-related fainting may not need to be treated. If they are lying down, position them on their back and raise their feet higher than their head.
When to see a doctor for dizziness?
For treatment of fainting, elevating the person’s feet and turning their head to the side will be beneficial. If your fainting spells are not due to a heart condition, further treatment may not be required. If your syncope is cardiac related, you may be prescribed medication or given a pacemaker. Situational syncope is caused by certain bodily functions and movements that lead to a drop in blood pressure, thereby causing a fainting spell.
Health Conditions
That information can help your doctor figure out the underlying cause. If you were injured when you fainted, you probably did not have any warning signs. You should see a doctor to treat the injury and to figure out why you fainted.
Since this blood vessel is responsible for pumping blood to the brain, when it is constricted there is less ability to carry oxygen. While the occasional fainting episode won’t require treatment, see your doctor for an evaluation if you frequently faint. They’ll give you a physical exam, review your medical history, and ask detailed questions about your fainting episode. To find the cause of fainting, a doctor will do a physical exam and ask questions about the fainting episode. You can help your doctor by being prepared to describe what happened before you fainted, how long you were “out,” and how you felt when you woke up.
A sharp twist of the neck when wearing a tight collar that presses on the artery, for instance, can lead to carotid sinus syncope. If the casualty is not breathing it could be sudden cardiac arrest. It’s wise to get checked, especially if it’s your first time.
If you’ve had several fainting episodes recently, check in with a medical professional, as fainting may be an indicator of an underlying health issue. Your doctor can perform tests to determine the underlying cause of your fainting and recommend appropriate treatment. Depending on your symptoms, you may need to see a cardiologist (for heart-related causes) or a neurologist (if seizure activity is suspected). The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers a 24-hour hotline for support with mental health and substance use disorders. Patients experiencing fainting are given a thorough medical history and physical examination. Many people get simple faints (vasovagal syncope) only once or twice.
Health Centers
The drop in blood pressure and slowed heart rate quickly reduce blood flow to your brain, and you faint. Vasovagal syncope is usually harmless and requires no treatment. But it’s possible that you may injure yourself during a vasovagal syncope episode. Your healthcare professional may recommend tests to rule out more-serious causes of fainting, such as heart conditions. See your doctor if you have recurrent fainting episodes or if you experience confusion or heart palpitations during an episode. Your provider may want to rule out other causes of fainting.
