DiseasesEnglish

Fainting: Losing consciousness!

30. März 2021 admin

Do you occasionally complain of circulatory problems or weakness? You are certainly not alone. Many people suffer from dizziness. Attacks like these should not be taken lightly. You can faint quickly. There may also be other reasons for sudden, life-threatening fainting. We explain the most important ones.

How does fainting happen?

Very common fainting happens when blood pressure or pulse drops slowly. This is why people with low blood pressure are particularly likely to lose consciousness. When circulatory fainting occurs, the nervous system has trouble working. The blood vessels widen and the heart rate increases. Subsequently, the brain is no longer adequately supplied with oxygen and unconsciousness occurs.
A circulatory collapse can also be a sign of a previously unknown disease. Above all, a sudden unconscious fainting spell is very typical. This may indicate a heart disease or diabetes, for example. Not excluding other probable diseases.
Therefore, if you suffer from frequent attacks of dizziness or general circulatory problems, you should definitely consult a doctor. If you continue to faint, you may have a very rare disease. Sick people faint several times a day. In this case, you should consult a specialist.

Causes

In medicine, syncope is referred to as fainting. It is difficult to define why you eventually faint, because the causes are mostly individual. One of the most common causes of fainting is stress. Fainting due to stress is nothing unusual and a well-known problem. Stress often leads to a so-called circulatory collapse or nervous breakdown.
This can also be called burnout. The victim is exposed to enormous stresses and pressures that the body can no longer withstand. But there can also be other causes of fainting.
The most common causes include:

fatigue
Low blood pressure
Heart disease
Hypoglycaemia
epilepsy
Unknown diseases

It is very important to be tested for circulatory problems. In this way it is possible to anticipate or even exclude further diseases. In many cases, preventive medical checks can save lives.

Symptoms

The symptoms of fainting are usually very clear. But before a person faints, there are other signs.
The most common symptoms of cardiovascular fainting are:

dizziness
Black in front of the eyes
Vision problems
Tingling sensation over the whole body
nausea
Slight contractions

If it is a fainting spell, you may also suffer from sudden cardiac arrest. This is a life-threatening fainting spell. The blood pressure drops rapidly and the heart stops. In the case of circulatory fainting, however, those affected wake up relatively quickly.

When is it dangerous to faint?

Fainting is particularly dangerous if the victim has no pulse or stops breathing. Then the person is in grave danger of death and must be treated immediately. It is important to provide first aid and dial the emergency number. In addition, resuscitation measures should be initiated.
But even unconsciousness with breathing and beating can quickly become dangerous. Protective reflexes such as coughing or swallowing are suspended. Liquids from vomit or blood can enter the windpipe, for example. There is also a danger of swallowing one’s own tongue. Therefore, it is extremely important to react quickly and provide immediate first aid.
Fainting or unconsciousness can occur at any time. In sport we also see cases of unconsciousness due to a collision. But circulatory weakness due to over-exertion can also lead to this. Such situations can also arise quickly in recreational sports. Here, too, it is important to help quickly and protect oneself from further danger.

What to do if someone faints?

If a person in your immediate vicinity faints, it is important that you remain calm and help. First of all, you must give first aid and call for help. You can do this, for example, with our Taris app.
This involves calling nearby medical personnel for help until the ambulance or emergency doctor arrives. It is usually a long time before the help you need arrives, and this is where professional assistance can be very helpful. However, we have compiled the most important tips in case of fainting
First aid for fainting:

Remain calm, grasp and talk to the person to control consciousness.
Dial the helpline number and get additional quick help through the Taris App.
Then, take the person’s pulse and check their breathing.
Then expose the airways and above all loosen tight clothing, such as ties.
If the person is still breathing, place them in the recovery position and continue to monitor their breathing.
If there is no breathing and no pulse, resuscitation measures must be started immediately. For example, with cardiac massage.

Note: These first aid measures are only a rough guide in case of fainting. If necessary, you will receive further instructions on the phone when you dial the emergency number. Therefore, listen carefully.
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