When is fainting an emergency

In some instances, you may receive a head CT scan. This imaging study checks for bleeding in the brain. Before you run off to see the movie "Jigsaw" or visit a Halloween haunted house, take note: Fainting can be serious business. New guidelines are released explaining why people faint and what medical tests they should get after a fainting episode. Blackouts can happen when you drink alcohol to excess. Learn what causes the blackout, how blacking out can affect you in the long term, and more.

Feeling dizzy? Read on to learn about how to get rid of dizziness and what may be causing it. Some quick remedies to try at home include staying…. Hair-grooming syncope is when you faint during hair grooming activities like combing, brushing, and cutting. Learn what causes this type of syncope…. If you have low blood pressure, you may want to consider changing your diet. Learn which foods to eat and what to avoid. Fainting happens when the amount of blood flow to your brain suddenly drops.

This can happen for many reasons, some of which are preventable. Head rushes are caused by a rapid drop in your blood pressure when you stand up. Most people experience occasional head rushes, and they generally…. Syncope is a loss of consciousness that happens due to a decrease in blood flow to your brain. It is more commonly known as fainting, and can happen….

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. What Causes Fainting? Medically reviewed by Suzanne Falck, M. Causes Types Prevention What to do when someone faints When is fainting an emergency? About Us. If someone faints or appears to be fainting, call or your local emergency number.

Assist the person by lowering him or her to the ground or other flat surface, while facing up in a horizontal position. Check for breathing and injuries. Rule out seizure , shock and stroke. If there are no injuries, elevate the legs up to a foot off the ground. Loosen any restrictive clothing. Do not give the person anything to eat or drink.

Medications, especially blood pressure drugs, often cause orthostatic hypotension. So can dehydration, thyroid disorders, and neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease. When you arrive at the hospital, clinicians will check your blood pressure and ask what medications you're taking.

They may draw blood or perform an electrocardiogram to check for irregular heartbeats. The cause of your fainting may be evident immediately. Other times, it will require more testing. Young adults with symptoms indicating vasovagal syncope often are not hospitalized.

However, patients ages 50 and older in the United States often are admitted for testing, because the serious causes of fainting become more common in older people.

Despite hospitalization and testing, sometimes the cause of fainting is never determined. The bottom line is that you need medical evaluation if you faint—or if you feel repeatedly as if you are about to faint.

Note carefully any symptoms you remember before or after you pass out. Ask anyone who may have seen you faint describe to you what they saw. All of this information will help the doctor help you. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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