Treatment for a condition that causes fainting will depend on the underlying cause. Your healthcare provider will rely on a full medical history and physical assessment. They also may order tests that include an electrocardiogram (12-lead EKG) to check heart rhythm.
Usually, these symptoms happen just before a person faints. Suppose your doctor determines that electrical devices are the best course of action. In that case, you may be given a permanent pacemaker, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), or biventricular (B-V) pacemakers and defibrillators.
Syncope (Fainting): Types, Causes, and Treatment Options
Fainting may also happen when the part of the nervous system that regulates blood pressure and heart rate malfunctions in response to a trigger, such as emotional stress or pain. Fainting can be a scary experience, but understanding its causes, symptoms, and when to seek help can make it less daunting. People who have experienced multiple fainting spells should see a healthcare provider to learn the cause. Certain tests, like a tilt table test, can help with diagnosis and treatment of syncope.
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Another serious cause of a sudden loss of consciousness is a seizure, which is an abnormality of the brain, not related to blood pressure. Some seizures produce dramatic shaking movements and loss of consciousness for longer than most fainting spells. However, other seizures can be more subtle and hard fainting: causes, symptoms and when to see a doctor to recognize as seizures. The unexpected and attention-getting nature of syncope can make it seem more dangerous than it is.
Causes of Syncope Symptom
- Dr. Pallone says people who faint without any major medical issues usually have a history of it.
- They are often confused and extremely weak for several hours after regaining consciousness.
- Note carefully any symptoms you remember before or after you pass out.
- Syncope is a common condition, especially in people over age 70.
It is important to determine the cause of the Syncope and the underlying conditions. You may need to see a doctor if you have ongoing dizziness or fainting. If you’ve fainted multiple times, make an appointment with your medical professional for a diagnosis. There are several different types of syncope a person may experience. If you experience these symptoms, you will need to have an alternative way to get around until your symptoms ease.
Syncope treatments will depend on what makes you faint and the results of your evaluation and testing. The goal of treatment is to keep you from having another syncopal episode. There are many factors that can lead to fainting, even in otherwise healthy individuals. It can be caused by fear, dehydration, anxiety, or even emotional stress, and should last only a few seconds to a couple minutes.
- While fainting may happen because of a particular medical condition, sometimes it may occur in an otherwise healthy person.
- It happens to some people every time they have to get a shot or they see blood.
- This type of fainting is more common in the elderly, people who recently had a lengthy illness that kept them in bed, and people who have poor muscle tone.
- They’ll ask you detailed questions about your symptoms and syncopal episodes.
- This can have a number of causes, including pain or stress.
Cardiac syncope
Episodes of syncope are common in pregnant people, due to both hormonal changes affecting blood vessels and physical changes including the blood volume in the body. It’s usually not cause for concern but may be a symptom of a more serious problem. Your healthcare provider can diagnose the cause of passing out (or feeling like you will) while pregnant.
If you also experience chest pain or shortness of breath, call 911 right away. Fainting, also known as syncope, is a sudden, brief loss of consciousness caused by reduced blood flow to the brain. It can be frightening, but in most cases, it is not a serious condition. However, it is essential to understand the causes, symptoms, and when to seek medical attention.
This means you may be confused and not remember what happened directly before the seizure or what you did after the seizure happened. Generally, your memory of those events will come back within 5-30 minutes, once the postictal state is over. “The likelihood of an episode being life threatening is low, but it shouldn’t be written off as something you don’t need to get checked out,” Dr. Pallone says. POTS is a condition that can happen when people change positions, particularly, when they stand up. Blood isn’t effectively pumped against gravity up to the brain because of a dysregulated autonomic nervous system.
It may be due to over-breathing (hyperventilation) but this is rare. Some people who drink heavily can also experience a brownout. This is when you remember some of the events of the time you were drinking. Sometimes, the events can come back to you with a cue that sparks your memory. Blacking out is not always a sign that you abuse alcohol, but it can be.