Fainting is a temporary loss of consciousness that occurs suddenly. People who fainted can return to full consciousness afterwards. This condition can begin with dizziness, nausea, and blurred vision, then loss of consciousness to a fall.
Medically, fainting is called syncope. This condition usually lasts for a few seconds or a few minutes. Fainting is caused by a sudden slowing of blood flow to the brain, so the brain doesn't get enough oxygen.
If it's not caused by a specific health problem, fainting is generally harmless. However, if the fainting is caused by a medical condition or disease, examination and treatment need to be done to prevent the fainting from happening again.
SymptomFaint
Before fainting, a person usually experiences early symptoms in the form of:
- Sleepy.
- Evaporate.
- Nausea, anxiety, rapid breathing, and sudden cold sweats.
- Dazed and unsteady body, especially when standing.
- Dizzy and like floating.
- Blurred vision or black dots appear in vision.
- Ears ringing
- Headache.
- Heart beat.
After that, the body will feel lost and then unconscious. The initial symptoms of fainting can vary from person to person, there are even people who do not feel the initial symptoms at all before fainting.
When to go to the doctor
Check with your doctor if you experience fainting for no apparent reason or repeatedly. A doctor's examination is needed so that the cause of fainting can be identified and treated, so that it does not happen again in the future.
Immediately take the person who fainted to the ER for treatment, if the person experiences any of the following symptoms:
- Not breathing.
- Unconscious for more than 1-2 minutes.
- Bleeding or injury.
- Is pregnant.
- seizures.
- Never fainted before or fainted frequently.
- Have or are currently suffering from diabetes, hypertension, hypotension, or heart disease.
- Experiencing chest pain or palpitations before passing out.
- Has a history of previous head injury.
Examination by a doctor also needs to be done if the person who has fainted remains confused for a long time or is unable to move his hands or feet after awakening from the faint.
Causes of Fainting
Fainting occurs because blood pressure drops suddenly and causes reduced blood flow to the brain. Conditions that can trigger fainting include stress, fear, the weather is too hot, and sudden changes in position.
In addition, there are also several medical conditions that can underlie the appearance of fainting, namely:
Nervous system disorders
Disorders of the nervous system in charge of regulating heart rate and blood pressure, namely the autonomic nervous system, can cause a person to faint. Diseases that can cause disorders of the nervous system include: acute or subacute dysautonomia and chronic preganglionic autonomic insufficiency.
Heart and blood vessel disease
Disorders of the heart and blood vessels can also cause fainting. These disorders can range from arrhythmias, narrowing of heart valves, to anomalies or abnormalities in the structure of the heart.
Hyperventilation
Hyperventilation is a condition when a person starts to breathe too fast. This causes the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the body to become imbalanced. When a person is hyperventilating, the level of carbon dioxide in the body will decrease.
After some time, low levels of carbon dioxide will trigger the narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain and eventually cause fainting. This condition often occurs in people who feel panicked or anxious.
In addition to the conditions above, fainting is also common in people who:
- Have diabetes or a disease that can affect the nervous system, such as malnutrition, alcoholism, and amyloidosis.
- Taking drugs that can affect blood pressure, such as hypertension, allergies, and depression medications.
Fainting Diagnosis
The doctor will ask the patient or the person who took the patient about the complaints the patient experienced before fainting. The questions that will be asked include the duration and position of the patient when he fainted, his medical history and the drugs he was taking, and how the patient felt after he woke up.
Next, the doctor will check the patient's consciousness using the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and perform an examination to determine the cause of the fainting. In some cases, a physical examination alone is sufficient to determine the cause of fainting. However, in other cases, a number of investigations below are needed to determine the cause of fainting:
- Blood tests, including checking blood sugar levels.
- Electrocardiogram (EKG), to see the electrical activity in the heart.
- Echocardiogram, to see the structure of the heart and blood flow in the heart.
- Electroencephalogram (EEG), to measure electrical activity in the brain.
- Holter monitor, to record the state of the heart for at least 24 hours.
- CT scan, to see the structure of certain organs or tissues.
Fainting Treatment
Fainting will be treated according to the cause. The principle of handling fainting is to increase blood flow to the brain so that oxygen needs are met. If you feel the early symptoms of fainting, try sitting and placing your head between your knees in a bent position.
If you see someone fainting, seek medical attention immediately to a doctor or hospital. While waiting for help to arrive, take the following first aid steps:
- Bring the patient to a safe place with a still lying position and make sure the patient's position is comfortable.
- Wake the patient by shaking his body, calling him in a loud enough voice, or providing painful stimuli, for example by pinching and placing a cold towel on his face or neck.
- Check if the patient is breathing and if there is any obstruction in the airway.
- Loosen the patient's clothing or accessories that are too tight, such as collars and belts. If possible, take the patient to a cool or well-ventilated room.
- Wrap the patient in a blanket if his skin feels cold to the touch.
If the patient is already conscious, provide help by:
- Let the patient lie down. Wait about 10 minutes before allowing him to sit or stand.
- Give the patient a drink or food, especially if it is known that the patient has not eaten in the last 6 hours or has diabetes.
- Accompany the patient until he is fully conscious.
When medical help arrives, tell the doctor or medical officer about how long the patient has been unconscious and what you have done.
Handling and treatment given by doctors to patients who faint will be adjusted to the cause. In addition, the doctor will also advise the patient to:
- Avoid triggering factors, such as stress, standing too long, or being in a hot and stuffy room.
- Adequate fluid needs, limit consumption of salt, caffeine, and alcohol, and maintain meal portions.
Fainting can be overcome and prevented with proper treatment. However, people who have fainted in the past are more at risk for fainting later in life.
Fainting Complications
Fainting is usually harmless, but it can be dangerous if it occurs at a certain time or place, such as while driving or at high altitudes. This can cause the patient to fall, hit, and suffer injuries.
In addition, fainting caused by certain medical conditions, such as disorders of the nervous system and heart disease, needs to be treated to prevent complications from these diseases.
Fainting Prevention
To prevent fainting, people who have risk factors for fainting or have fainted before are advised to:
- Recognize situations that can trigger fainting and avoid them.
- Learn to manage stress and panic, for example by practicing breathing techniques or doing yoga.
- Try to keep yourself fit, by getting enough rest and not getting too tired.
- Eat regularly and eat healthy foods with balanced nutrition.
- Sufficient fluid needs by drinking enough water to avoid dehydration.
- Change position slowly when going to stand up from a sitting or lying position.
- Lie down or sit up immediately if you have symptoms before passing out, such as dizziness or cold sweats.
- Regular check-ups with the doctor if you have health problems that are at risk of causing fainting.