Is it possible to faint from pain? Brief loss of consciousness

One of the most common symptoms of diseases internal organs- fainting or syncope. Many people, having experienced a similar condition, wonder what causes them to faint and how can they prevent it? The reasons are varied, from prolonged exposure to stuffy conditions to serious brain diseases. Therefore, install the real reason only a doctor can lose consciousness after complex diagnostics using laboratory and instrumental methods examinations. Therapy depends entirely on the identified causative factor why a person faints and may include drug and non-drug methods.

About the condition

Fainting can occur both from banal overwork and as a result serious pathologies

Fainting occurs very often, and, as a rule, it is almost impossible to quickly identify the cause of its occurrence. Loss of consciousness may be associated with a sharp drop in blood pressure, a decrease in blood glucose levels, disorders cerebral circulation, pregnancy, etc. All of these factors lead to insufficient blood supply to the central nervous system, which is accompanied by the development of syncope.

According to medical statistics, every person has lost consciousness at least once in their life.

As a rule, the maximum number of cases of syncope is observed in people aged 10 to 35 years, which is associated with work characteristics endocrine system. Every third person experiences repeated cases of fainting, which is explained by the persistence of the original cause in the body.

The multiplicity of reasons why a person may faint makes it very difficult to quickly make a correct diagnosis, preventing the selection of effective treatment.

Main reasons

Important aspect maintaining the level of consciousness - adequate blood supply to the brain cerebral vessels. Any changes in it lead to the development of syncopation. The main factors leading to such hemodynamic disorders are the following:

decrease in the amount of blood ejected from the heart ( cardiovascular failure against the background of myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, etc.);
reduction of lumen cerebral arteries against the background of atherosclerosis or their spasm;
a sharp rise of a person from a horizontal to a vertical position, which leads to a redistribution of blood.

Narrowing of the lumen cerebral arteries occurs most often. A similar situation can occur as a result of severe psycho-emotional stress, pain syndrome, prolonged coughing or sneezing, irritation vagus nerve, and also when various diseases internal organs. Usually, similar factors lead to a sudden loss of consciousness, which may be preceded by dizziness, nausea and other nonspecific symptoms.

In addition to changes in the lumen of the arteries that supply the brain, the level of oxygen in the blood may decrease. Similar condition observed in patients with anemia of any origin, in case of poisoning with certain substances, as well as lesions bronchopulmonary system(bronchial asthma, etc.). It is important to remember that in about half of the cases, doctors cannot determine the cause of the respiratory or vascular insufficiency which caused sudden fainting.

Clinical manifestations

Loss of consciousness lasts several minutes, and in exceptional cases can last up to half an hour. Moreover, when a woman faints or a man suddenly loses consciousness, it is always possible to identify certain precursors of such a condition. In this regard, doctors identify three individual stages syncope: the warning phase, the fainting phase itself and the recovery phase. Symptoms different people may vary significantly depending on immediate cause fainting state.

The warning period, or presyncope phase, lasts from a couple of seconds to several minutes. The person begins to experience sharp general weakness, dizziness, feeling of shortness of breath, possible nausea, visual disturbances and ringing in the ears, as well as others nonspecific symptoms. If the patient manages to sit down or lie down, then syncope may not occur, since in such positions cerebral blood flow usually recover. During the onset of syncope, a person may fall and receive a traumatic brain injury, bruises, fractures, etc. In this regard, such a condition is very dangerous.

The immediate period of fainting is characterized by loss of consciousness varying degrees depths. The patient is noted to have shallow breathing, increased heart rate, muscle relaxation, decreased pupillary response to light. Reflexes on the tendons are completely preserved.

If fainting occurs unexpectedly, there is a high probability of injury.

Possible involuntary urination or convulsive syndrome. In this regard, patients and doctors should be aware that single convulsions, should never become a reason for diagnosing epilepsy.

The recovery period lasts from 10 minutes to 1-2 hours. In this case, the patient experiences general fatigue, muscle strength and accuracy of movements are reduced, dizziness may persist, low level blood pressure. The patient has difficulty getting up, the mouth feels dry, and increased sweating. It is important to note that the person remembers everything that happened to him before the syncopation.

Diagnostic measures

Correct positioning diagnosis is possible only with an integrated approach to the diagnostic process. It is important to note that in case of loss of consciousness, in addition to emergency care, the doctor should exclude serious illnesses, such as acute myocardial infarction, internal bleeding, thromboembolism pulmonary artery etc. At the next stage of the examination, the patient should be examined for damage to the central nervous system, including oncological diseases, as well as disturbances in the patency of cerebral arteries. Each patient needs to consult with doctors of various specialties: cardiologist, epileptologist, endocrinologist, etc.

A consultation may be needed to determine the cause of fainting. narrow specialists

In addition, each patient must undergo a general blood and urine test, the level of glucose in the blood must be examined, a glucose tolerance test and other biochemical procedures must be performed. From instrumental methods within the framework of providing medical care It is recommended to conduct electrocardiography, echo CG, ultrasonography cerebral circulation, etc. If you suspect tumor processes of the brain, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is indicated.

Effective treatment

Therapy fainting states is completely determined by the cause of their occurrence, since without eliminating it, completely get rid of similar symptoms impossible. If a patient’s illness is associated with psycho-emotional stress, then he should consult a psychotherapist. If diagnosed malignancy, then in such cases an operation is indicated.

If syncope occurs in a patient often indoors, on the street, subway or other places and can be dangerous, the use of medications is indicated. The medications of choice are B-blockers (Metoprolol, Nebivolol, etc.), which help normalize vascular tone and cardiac activity. In addition, it is possible to use Scopolamine, Ephedrine, etc.

During the period between attacks, the patient may be prescribed drug treatment

The prescription of any medications should always be carried out only by a doctor, taking into account the patient’s indications and contraindications for therapy.

Anyone can faint. This condition is characterized by a short-term loss of consciousness, as well as a number of other symptoms. In a healthy person, syncope can occur after a bath, in women during menstruation, with a sudden change in body position from horizontal to vertical in the morning, etc. Best advice If fainting occurs, immediately contact medical institution, since the causes of loss of consciousness can be quite serious.

In the 19th century, ladies from high society very often lost consciousness. This happened according to various reasons: with unpleasant news, from heat or fright. At that time, doctors explained this phenomenon as a result of insufficient nutrition or a consequence of wearing tight corsets. How to faint now? To do this, it is not at all necessary to wear clothes that tighten your chest or exhaust yourself with hunger - this phenomenon can affect almost everyone.

What is fainting

Fainting is a short-term loss of consciousness that occurs completely suddenly and is most often associated with metabolic disorders in the brain. The reasons for this situation may be different - you can actually lose consciousness due to poor nutrition or lack of fresh air. Some people may faint in very specific situations: at the sight of blood, a small mouse, or a huge bear.

How to faint on purpose? Oddly enough, this question worries many. Actors very often have to lose consciousness on stage, and this must be done as believably as possible. Some people faint on purpose in order to attract attention. Fortunately or unfortunately, a person cannot control his consciousness, so it is almost impossible to purposefully lose it. However, there are several recommendations that can trigger this process.

How to faint

First of all, it is worth noting that causing loss of consciousness artificially unsafe. This may entail quite serious consequences, which, in turn, may be accompanied by negative phenomena.

Women's tricks have always aroused admiration among others. Losing consciousness is a great way to attract the attention of a young man. In fact, he wouldn’t ignore such an incident? Nevertheless, it should be recalled once again that artificial loss of consciousness can provoke quite serious problems with health, in particular with the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Moreover, without knowing how to faint quickly and correctly, you can seriously hit your head.

How can you provoke loss of consciousness?

There are several ways that may help with the issue of how to faint on purpose. They are mostly caused by poor circulation or lack of oxygen in the brain. In addition, hyperventilation can also trigger a short-term loss of consciousness.

For example, you can find some tips on how to faint. Here is one of them: you need to do several deep squats (about 20), stand up sharply, close your mouth thumb hands and blow into it with all your strength. The likelihood that you will lose consciousness after this is maximum. When doing such an experiment with your body, it would be wise to worry in advance about the safety of the fall. To do this, it is better to place pillows or mattresses on the floor, and also remove all furniture with sharp corners away.

How to lose consciousness

Of course, such an experiment is not suitable for all cases. Agree, in order to attract the attention of strangers, this method is irrelevant. You won’t be squatting hard next to a young man, and then blowing into your finger with all your might. There's one more enough effective method: first you need to squat down, then stand up sharply, hold your breath and at the same time try to tense all the muscles of the body as much as possible. Most likely, loss of consciousness will follow immediately after this.

There is another option to lose consciousness artificially. It’s worth warning everyone right away, this is quite dangerous way. You just need to squeeze your carotid artery. First you need to do a few deep breaths and exhalations, and then, holding your breath for a few seconds, press on carotid artery. This method must be used very carefully.

All these methods are good when you need to faint just like that, for the sake of experiment. What if the situation requires you to lose consciousness, but in such a way that it looks natural?

How to lose consciousness correctly

Of course, when young man the girl is unlikely to squat or squeeze her carotid artery. Moreover, such experiments can lead to very undesirable consequences. For example, artificial fainting can cause quite serious oxygen starvation and, as a result, to whom. In addition, during a short-term loss of consciousness, convulsions may be observed - not a very pleasant sight.

That is why it is worth turning to safer ways to imitate fainting. Anyone can artistically play a fainting state, and even more so for girls. To begin with, it is worth noting that the loss of consciousness itself is accompanied by certain signs, so there is no need to sharp drops. So, in order to simulate a fainting state, you need to gradually slow down your speech, blink your eyes often and wince. People around you should get the impression that you feel bad and are trying to concentrate your attention.

How to fake fainting

Imitation of fainting begins first of all with slow speech and attempts to concentrate. Then you need to complain to others about feeling unwell and ask for help (bring water or take you to fresh air). And after that, while moving, you need to show all your acting skills - carefully stumble and fall. There are also several nuances here: it is advisable to fall on your knees, and only then completely lower your entire body. It is worth paying attention to one detail - in no case should you put your hands forward when falling, as this is defensive reaction body.

After this, you need to close your eyes and relax as much as possible. If suddenly someone around you raises your hand, it should naturally return to its original position. Only in this case will fainting look realistic and truthful. You shouldn’t lie too long - someone might get seriously scared and call an ambulance.

Now seriously

Performing a performance in front of others is a simple matter. But how to behave if a person really fainted, the reasons for which are unknown to anyone? First of all, it is necessary to ensure proper blood flow to the brain; to do this, you need to put the victim on his back and slightly raise his legs. It will be important to ensure maximum influx fresh air. And then you can bring ammonia to your nose or just spray it on your face cold water. It’s good if there are people nearby who can help the victim who has lost consciousness.

What to do if you find yourself alone in such a situation? It is clear that a person cannot control his consciousness and direct his actions. However, as already mentioned, fainting is preceded by some signs that eloquently signal the onset of the condition.

First self aid

It is worth noting that natural loss of consciousness is a phenomenon worth paying attention to. The types of fainting make it possible to determine the presence of some pathology, and timely access to the hospital will help to avoid serious complications.

Fainting is accompanied by various symptoms. Before losing consciousness, a person experiences weakness and dizziness, sounds seem to become distant, appear dark spots before your eyes. In this case, you need to lower yourself as quickly as possible so as not to cause harm to your body. After this, you must try to accept horizontal position and raise your legs slightly above head level, as well as ensure maximum flow of fresh air.

You should not resort to such dubious methods that can provoke loss of consciousness. Sometimes, in order for others to really think so, it is enough just to show a little artistry and exclaim: “Oh, I almost fainted!”

What are the causes of loss of consciousness
Carrying out indirect massage hearts artificial respiration

A sudden loss of consciousness by a person, as a rule, is closely related to disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system. During this condition, people lose their balance and fall, unable to even move their limbs. During the period of loss of consciousness, only convulsions are possible. People in this state stop reacting to others, and also lose the ability to think logically and give answers to questions asked.

Causes

Today, there are several known reasons that increase the risk of losing consciousness. Here is a list of the main reasons sudden loss consciousness:

The first is the lack of blood supply to the brain;
The second is a lack of brain nutrition;
Third, low oxygen levels in the blood;
Fourth – incorrect work, which causes uncharacteristic discharges in the brain area.

These and other violations indicate possibly temporary illnesses or quite serious health problems.

Below these reasons will be discussed in more detail.

Lack of blood supply to the brain can occur:

This could be caused by too much work. autonomic system person. Usually such a reaction occurs due to external stimuli or unusual situations. For example: ordinary fear, various experiences, a small amount of oxygen in a person’s blood.
Cardiology problems can also cause this reason loss of consciousness. This happens due to a decrease in cardiac blood output in the human body. Such cases quite often end in myocardial infarction. It also occurs due to abnormal rhythm of the heart. The problem may be caused by frequent nerve impulses, which accompany the ventricles and atrium. After these troubles, as a rule, pathologies arise various types. Interruptions during contractions are especially acute; organs do not receive the required amount of blood in a timely manner for their normal operation. And all this significantly affects the functioning of the human brain.

By the way, on the cardiogram you can easily notice the consequences of the unnatural inflow and outflow of blood in the body. It clearly shows abnormal nerve processes in the ventricle area. However, they almost never cause loss of consciousness. Some people do not notice this problem and live as usual. All these causes and symptoms of fainting are worth knowing and being able to partially eliminate them on the spot!

Quite often people who have lost consciousness lose consciousness long time there is a decrease arterial pressure. People who have problems using antihypertensive medications are also at risk; older people are no exception to this. Abrupt change The position of the human body usually causes this reason. For example, you can suddenly stand up, that is, change a sitting or lying position. During the passivity of the limbs, the functioning of the vessels is delayed, and with rapid movement they are not able to quickly return to the desired shape. This is the reason for the decrease in blood pressure and blood flow to the body’s brain.
Loss of consciousness may also occur due to significant changes in large blood vessels. Since these are the vessels that feed the brain. This problem can lead to a disease called atherosclerosis. With this disease, the walls and lumens in the vessels are held together.
Also, quite often, loss of consciousness can be caused by the presence of blood clots. There is a possibility that they will partially or completely block the passage through the blood vessels. In most cases, blood clots form due to surgical intervention. Quite often, this problem occurs after heart valve replacement surgery. It is curious that the occurrence of blood clots is observed at any age, so any person can develop them. People who are at risk of this type of blockage are prescribed special medications that should be taken on an ongoing basis. There are also cases when blood clots form in blood vessels due to malfunction heart rhythm. For such problems, they are also prescribed special drugs for reception.
Anaphylactic shock can also cause loss of consciousness. Such shock often occurs due to a fairly severe allergic reaction, which can be caused by any drug. Loss of consciousness can also cause infectious shock, which may appear after serious illnesses. This condition can cause dilation of the blood vessels in the area, which will lead to a significant increase in blood flow to the heart area. This reaction can be triggered by vasodilating components in medications. At the same time, the blood capillaries become permeable, as a result they begin to work with even greater force. All of the above reasons also disrupt blood flow to the human brain.

If a person discovers these symptoms, he immediately needs to seek help from a qualified specialist, who, in turn, will have to immediately conduct an examination and prescribe sensitive tests. Only after receiving all the results will it be possible to deliver accurate diagnosis. As a result, the patient will need to undergo several procedures:

visit a specialist in neurology to determine the possible presence of vascular dystonia
Visit your primary care physician to determine the possibility of hypotension, a condition that can cause low blood pressure. Also, the doctor must carry out several procedures to identify the patient’s tendency to hypertension
It is necessary to undergo an ECHO procedure, in other words, an ultrasound of the heart, which will help determine the presence of any defects and heart failure.
there is an option that the patient will be offered a Doppler ultrasound to examine blood vessels and various pathologies in them.

Loss of consciousness due to a lack of oxygen in the blood occurs in the following diseases:

Loss of consciousness in children and women for this reason is possible if the air that a person inhales does not contain the required amount of oxygen. Because of this, in stuffy rooms there is often a risk of fainting and dizziness.
Also, loss of consciousness in adolescents can be caused by various diseases in the lungs, one of such diseases is bronchial asthma. This problem especially concerns people who chronically suffer from such ailments. Frequent cough may cause various disorders mechanism in the functioning of the lungs, due to which there is a significant lack of oxygen during inhalation. Also during this there is a possibility of insufficient cardiac output.
One of the common causes of loss of consciousness is anemia. As a result low content hemoglobin in the blood, which should not fall below 70 g/l. However, fainting is also possible when high content this substance in human body. But most often this happens in stuffy rooms.
Poisoning with poisonous oxygen oxide is also often the cause of loss of consciousness. This gas cannot be seen and is odorless and tasteless. Oxygen oxide can enter the body quite easily. For example, when heating a stove or while using gas with the hoods turned off. This gas also comes from car exhaust pipes, so it is not recommended to be in the car cabin if it is not ventilated. This gas enters the human lungs quite easily, after which it combines directly with hemoglobin. As a result, the paths for passage are closed pure oxygen into the blood. As a result, oxygen starvation occurs in the body. There is a possibility of problems with the heart.

To quickly solve problems with loss of consciousness for these reasons, you need to undergo a series of tests and undergo mandatory procedures. Thus, it is quite important:

take a general blood test. This will help to see the number and condition of all cells in the blood of the human body, such as red blood cells and hemoglobin. This test also checks whether the patient has asthma.
It is necessary to take an x-ray of the lungs. This procedure will help check the body for the presence of bronchitis and other diseases, as well as cancer changes.
spirography is also necessary. It will help determine the correctness of breathing and the force of a person’s exhalations.
You may need to visit a specialist allergic reactions. After all, most allergens are external environment cause this condition.

Syncope when oxygen supply to the human brain is disrupted, mainly occurs when diabetes mellitus.

People suffering from diabetes may make a mistake and put the wrong dose of insulin into their body. Which leads to a significant decrease in blood sugar, resulting in a disruption of brain metabolism and erroneous receipt of nerve impulses.
Loss of consciousness is observed both with an excess amount of insulin in the body and with its deficiency. With a lack of insulin, the blood becomes saturated big amount glucose, which harms many organs that are associated with these processes, resulting in a change in metabolism. Often, a person suffering for such reasons may smell unpleasantly of acetone vapor.

Lactic acid coma can also cause loss of consciousness. In this case, diseases arise that are associated with renal failure. The patient's blood is saturated with a huge mass of lactic acid. In this case, the smell of acetone is not felt.

In any case, it is necessary to check the patient for the presence of diabetes. To do this, you need to donate blood to a laboratory; this test must be taken on an empty stomach. This blood test will tell you a lot about the diseases of a particular person. For example, the analysis showed increased content glucose in capillary blood, this means that insulin does not have much effect on suppressing its production. To clarify the diagnosis, another analysis needs to be performed. After donating blood on an empty stomach, as a rule, the patient is given something to drink special dose glucose solution, after which the procedure is repeated. If glucose exceeds the norm, then the person definitely has diabetes.

The urine test also determines the presence of glucose. A healthy person cannot have this substance in the urine. To fully determine the diagnosis of diabetes, after carrying out the prescribed procedures for several weeks, doctors measure hemoglobin levels.

The pancreas is responsible for the production of insulin, so doctors often prescribe an ultrasound to patients. Such an examination helps to identify pathologies in this organ and helps to see the causes of this disease.

A failure in the transmission of impulses according to the axioms of the brain or the occurrence of pathological discharges in the neurons of the brain occurs in the following conditions:

1. This reason quite often causes a person to lose consciousness. He often has seizures that recur with a certain frequency. This happens thanks to neurons in the brain area. It is extremely easy to determine if a person is having a seizure; at this moment, periodic twitching of muscles that are in a tense state is observed.

2. Loss of consciousness due to traumatic brain injury, as a result strong blows head. At the same time, bruises, concussions, and tumors in the brain are possible. After such injuries, displacement of areas of both hemispheres of the brain is likely. Compression occurs, resulting in increased intracranial pressure. These processes significantly complicate the functioning of the human brain. If the blow was not strong and the damage was not significant, then consciousness will return within a few minutes and there will be no significant changes in the body. However, if severe injuries occur, swelling and rupture of some vessels may occur. In critical cases, the person may fall into a coma.

3. Any kind of stroke, such as ischemic or hemorrhagic, can also be the cause frequent fainting. These types have many differences among themselves. Ischemic stroke causes improper blood supply to the cerebral cortex, causing blockages. People often reach this state by drinking low-quality alcohol. large doses or tinctures with a high percentage of alcohol. Hemorrhagic stroke occurs as a result of ruptures of blood vessels in the cerebral cortex. This causes bleeding in the brain, quite often leading to the death of the patient.

The two types of stroke have something in common; this is the reason for their occurrence. These diseases occur with constant surges in blood pressure, when it quickly rises and falls at the same speed. Therefore, it is necessary to be promptly examined for problems in this area.

First aid

Any person should be able to provide first aid if suddenly a case of loss of consciousness occurs before his eyes. Here are some tips that can help save another person's life. it is a sudden and dangerous thing.

Quite often, people lose consciousness when they are in stuffy rooms. In such cases, the body does not receive the required amount of necessary oxygen. This can also happen due to frequent worries and worries. If a person suddenly loses consciousness for these reasons, the following measures must be taken:

a person needs to free his throat, remove his scarf, unfasten the buttons on his collar, untie his tie;
provide a room with fresh air for the patient or, if possible, take him outside;
In order for a person to wake up, it is necessary to take a cotton wool soaked in ammonia and bring it to his respiratory tract;
if a person does not regain consciousness, he needs to be provided with a safe and comfortable body position. Good decision will turn it on its side, and you need to make sure that the tongue does not sink in, which can cause suffocation. It is best to check this sign in the first seconds; to do this, you will need to unclench the victim’s jaws with your fingers or other suitable objects. If necessary, you should fix the tongue to the cheek in the oral cavity. It is very important that the airway is completely open;
it is also quite important to check that a person has a pulse and is breathing correctly in a faint state;
If the patient has no pulse or breathing, it is necessary to give him a cardiac massage and artificial respiration. It is good if this procedure is carried out by an experienced person;
in such a situation you need to call immediately ambulance. And before removal, it is necessary to accurately describe all the patient’s symptoms to doctors.

There are situations when a person does not witness another person losing consciousness. In this case, the following measures must be taken:

try to find witnesses who noticed how the person lost consciousness. Perhaps someone knows the reason for this incident. It is necessary to check the victim’s pockets; it is likely that there will be special drugs there that can help bring him to his senses. People suffering from chronic diseases of this type often carry medications with them;
It is also necessary to inspect for damage to a person who has fainted. If bleeding is detected, you should try to stop it before the ambulance arrives;
It is important to determine the pulse and check if the person is breathing. To check the pulse, you need to feel with two fingers thyroid cartilage the victim. Then lower them a little lower.

Usually the pulse is felt well in this area;

if a person is still warm, but has no pulse or breathing, it is necessary to check the reaction of the pupils to light. There are often cases when a person clinical death It also reacts well to light rays. You can check this in this way: open the patient’s eyes, which are closed for centuries; if he is alive, the pupils will sharply begin to narrow. If the patient initially lies with with open eyes, you should cover them with your palm or any dark cloth for a few seconds, then carry out the previous action. If the incident happened at night or late in the evening, you can use a flashlight or mobile phone. There is another way to check the reaction of the eye. For this, use a handkerchief or another soft cloth it is necessary to touch the victim’s eyelids. If a person is alive, he will immediately begin to blink, regardless of his condition. This is a natural reaction to external stimuli.

An ambulance does not always arrive immediately after a call, but in such a condition every minute is important. Therefore, it would not be amiss to try to provide self-help to the victim. Help restore life processes Can be a cardiac massage of any kind or mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration. However, there is no need to rush with these methods. Quite often they cause serious harm to the victim. But they can also save a person’s life. While the ambulance is on the way. It is important not to overdo it, especially when performing cardiac massage, as this can lead to compound fractures.

Method of performing indirect cardiac massage and artificial respiration

Before starting chest compressions and artificial respiration, it is necessary to position the patient as comfortably as possible and release oral cavity from vomit or excessive salivation. After which you need to throw the person’s head back, while making sure that the front jaw is slightly extended. If the jaw is tightly clenched, it must be unclenched with any available objects, without causing severe injury to the victim. Only after this can the procedure of introducing air into the mouth and nose be carried out. It is best to perform artificial respiration through a handkerchief. It is necessary to take two deep breaths to the victim, while holding the nose or mouth tightly. After inhaling, you need to press your hands on the middle of the person’s chest. Ten clicks will be enough. After which the procedure must be repeated in the same order. The procedure for artificial respiration and chest compressions will be simpler and more effective if it is performed by two people at the same time. It is quite difficult to cope with this alone. One person presses on the sternum, the other inhales. Three to five presses should be combined with one or two breaths.

This procedure may need to be carried out until an ambulance arrives.

Fainting is a sudden temporary loss of consciousness, usually accompanied by a fall.

Doctors often refer to fainting as syncope to distinguish it from other conditions involving temporary loss of consciousness, such as a seizure or concussion.

Fainting is very common, with up to 40% of people losing consciousness at least once in their lives. The first fainting episode usually occurs before the age of 40. If the first episode of loss of consciousness occurs after age 40, this may indicate severe chronic illness. The most common neurogenic syncope is most often observed in adolescence in girls.

The immediate cause of syncope is a disruption in the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Its functions are temporarily impaired, and the person loses consciousness. This usually happens in a stuffy room, on an empty stomach, with fear, severe emotional shock, and in some people, with the sight of blood or a sudden change in body position. A person may faint from coughing, sneezing, or even while emptying the bladder.

First aid for fainting should be to prevent the person from falling and protect him from injury. If someone feels bad, support them and gently lay them down, raising their legs up, or sit them down. Provide fresh air by opening windows and unbuttoning your collar. Try not to create panic to avoid large cluster people, crowding and stuffiness. When fainting, consciousness usually returns within a few seconds, less often within 1-2 minutes, but some types of fainting require emergency medical attention.

If a person does not regain consciousness within 2 minutes, you should call an ambulance by calling 03 landline phone, 112 or 911 - from a mobile phone.

Symptoms of fainting

Fainting is usually preceded by sudden weakness and dizziness, followed by a brief loss of consciousness, usually lasting a few seconds. This can happen when a person is sitting, standing, or standing up too quickly.

Sometimes loss of consciousness may be preceded by other short-term symptoms:

yawn;
sudden sticky sweat;
nausea;
frequent deep breathing;
disorientation in space and time;
blurred vision or spots before the eyes;
tinnitus.

After a fall, the head and heart are at the same level, so blood reaches the brain more easily. Consciousness should return in about 20 seconds; less often, fainting lasts for 1-2 minutes. More long absence consciousness - alarm signal. In this case, you need to call an ambulance.

After fainting, you may feel weak and confused for 20 to 30 minutes. The person may also feel tired, drowsy, nauseated, and have abdominal discomfort, and may not remember what happened just before the fall.

Fainting or stroke?

Loss of consciousness can occur during a stroke - a cerebrovascular accident. A stroke, unlike fainting, always requires emergency medical attention and is life-threatening. A stroke can be suspected if a person does not come to consciousness for more than 2 minutes or if after fainting the victim develops following symptoms:

the face is skewed to one side, the person cannot smile, his lip has drooped or his eyelid has drooped;
a person cannot raise one or both arms and hold them vertical position due to weakness or numbness;
speech becomes unintelligible.

Causes of fainting (loss of consciousness)

Loss of consciousness during syncope is associated with a temporary reduction in blood flow to the brain. The causes of this type of circulatory disorder are very diverse.

Disruption of the nervous system as a cause of loss of consciousness

Most often, loss of consciousness is associated with a temporary malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. This type of fainting is called neurogenic or vegetative syncope.

The autonomic nervous system is responsible for unconscious body functions, including heartbeat and blood pressure regulation. Various external stimuli, for example, fear, the sight of blood, heat, pain and others, can temporarily disrupt the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, which leads to a drop in blood pressure and fainting.

The work of the autonomic nervous system is also associated with a slowdown of the heart, which leads to a short-term decrease in blood pressure and impaired blood supply to the brain. This is called vasovagal syncope.

Sometimes the autonomic nervous system becomes overloaded during coughing, sneezing or laughing and loss of consciousness occurs. This kind of fainting is called situational.

In addition, fainting may be associated with prolonged standing in an upright position. Typically, when a person stands or sits, gravity causes some of the blood to flow downward and pool in the arms and legs. To maintain normal blood circulation, the heart begins to work a little harder, blood vessels slightly narrow, maintaining sufficient blood pressure in the body.

In some people, this mechanism is disrupted, and the blood supply to the heart and brain is temporarily interrupted. In response, the heart begins to beat too fast, and the body produces norepinephrine, a stress hormone. This phenomenon is called postural tachycardia and can cause symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, sweating, rapid heartbeat and fainting.

Carotid sinus syndrome

The carotid sinus is a symmetrical area on the lateral surface of the middle part of the neck. This is an important area, rich in sensory cells - receptors, which is necessary to maintain normal blood pressure, heart function and gas composition blood. In some people, syncope (fainting) can occur when there is an accidental mechanical impact on the carotid sinus - this is called carotid sinus syndrome.

Orthostatic hypotension is a cause of fainting in the elderly

The second most common cause of fainting can be a drop in blood pressure when a person stands up suddenly - orthostatic hypotension. This phenomenon is more common in older people, especially after 65 years of age.

A sharp change in body position from horizontal to vertical leads to the outflow of blood to the lower parts of the body under the influence of gravity, which causes blood pressure V central vessels falls. Typically the nervous system regulates this by increasing the heart rate, constricting blood vessels and thus stabilizing blood pressure.

At orthostatic hypotension the regulatory mechanism is disrupted. That's why quick recovery there is no pressure, and for some period blood circulation in the brain is disrupted. This is enough to cause fainting.

Possible causes of orthostatic hypotension:

dehydration is a condition in which the body's fluid content decreases and blood pressure decreases, making it harder for the heart to stabilize, increasing the risk of fainting;
diabetes mellitus - accompanied by frequent urination, which can lead to dehydration, in addition, high level blood sugar damages the nerves responsible for regulating blood pressure;
medications- any medications for hypertension, as well as any antidepressants, can cause orthostatic hypotension;
neurological diseases- diseases that affect nervous system, (for example, Parkinson's disease) may cause orthostatic hypotension.

Heart disease - the cause of cardiac syncope

Heart disease can also cause disruption of the blood supply to the brain and lead to temporary loss of consciousness. This type of fainting is called cardiac syncope. Its risk increases with age. Other risk factors:

pain in the heart cell (angina);
suffered a heart attack;
pathology of the structure of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy);
abnormalities on the electrocardiogram (ECG);
repeated sudden fainting without warning symptoms.

If you suspect that fainting is caused by heart disease, you should consult a physician as soon as possible.

Reflex anoxic spasms

Reflex anoxic convulsions are a type of fainting that develops after a short-term cardiac arrest due to overload of the vagus nerve. It is one of the 12 cranial nerves that runs down from the head into the neck, chest and abdominal cavity. Reflex anoxic seizures are more common in young children, especially when the child is upset.

Diagnosis of the causes of fainting

Most often, fainting is not dangerous and does not require treatment. But in some cases, after fainting, you should consult a doctor to find out whether the loss of consciousness was caused by any disease. Contact a neurologist if:

fainting occurred for the first time;
you regularly lose consciousness;
injury due to loss of consciousness;
you have diabetes or heart disease (such as angina);
fainting occurred during pregnancy;
before fainting did you feel pain in your chest, irregular rapid or palpitations;
during blackout, urination or defecation occurred involuntarily;
you were unconscious for several minutes.

During the diagnosis, the doctor will ask about the circumstances of the fainting and recent previous diseases, and can also measure blood pressure and listen to the heartbeat using a stethoscope. In addition, additional research will be required to diagnose the causes of loss of consciousness.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) is prescribed when it is suspected that fainting was caused by heart disease. An electrocardiogram (ECG) records the heart rhythms and electrical activity of the heart. Electrodes (small sticky discs) are attached to the arms, legs and chest and are connected to the ECG machine using wires. Each heartbeat creates an electrical signal. The ECG notes these signals on paper, recording any abnormalities. The procedure is painless and takes about five minutes.

Carotid sinus massage performed by a doctor to rule out carotid sinus syndrome as a cause of fainting. If the massage causes dizziness, heart rhythm disturbances or other symptoms, the test is considered positive.

Blood tests allow you to exclude diseases such as diabetes and anemia (anemia).

Blood pressure measurement in the supine and standing positions to detect orthostatic hypotension. In orthostatic hypotension, blood pressure drops sharply when a person stands up. If the test results reveal a medical condition, such as heart disease or orthostatic hypotension, your doctor may prescribe treatment.

First aid for fainting

There are certain measures that should be taken when someone is fainting. It is necessary to position the person in such a way as to increase blood flow to the head. To do this, just put something under your feet, bend them at the knees or lift them up. If you have nowhere to lie down, you need to sit down and put your head between your knees. Doing this will usually help prevent fainting.

If a person does not regain consciousness within 1-2 minutes, you need to do the following:

lay it on its side, supported by one leg and one arm;
tilt your head back and lift your chin to open
Airways;
Continuously monitor your breathing and pulse.

Then you should call an ambulance by calling 03 from a landline phone, 112 or 911 from a mobile phone and stay with the person until doctors arrive.

Treatment after fainting

Most fainting spells do not require treatment, but it is important for your doctor to rule out possible diseases which could cause loss of consciousness. If the latter are detected during examination, you will need treatment. For example, if diabetes is detected through diet, physical exercise and medications can lower blood sugar levels. Treatment cardiovascular diseases associated with fluctuations in blood pressure, rhythm disturbances or atherosclerosis also minimizes the likelihood of recurrent syncope.

If fainting is of a neurogenic nature or is situational, then you need to avoid those causes that usually lead to loss of consciousness: stuffy and hot rooms, excitement, fear. Try to spend less time standing on your feet. If you faint at the sight of blood or medical manipulations, inform the doctor or nurse about this, then the procedure will be carried out in a lying position. When it is difficult to determine what situations cause you to faint, your doctor may recommend keeping a symptom diary to record the circumstances surrounding your fainting.

To prevent fainting caused by carotid sinus syndrome, you should avoid putting pressure on the neck area - for example, not wearing shirts with a high, tight collar. Sometimes a pacemaker is inserted under the skin to treat carotid sinus syndrome - a small electronic device, which helps maintain a regular heart rhythm.

To avoid orthostatic hypotension, try not to change your body position suddenly. Before getting out of bed, sit up, stretch, and take a few calm, deep breaths. In summer, you should increase your water consumption. Your doctor may also recommend fractional meals and small portions and increasing salt intake. Some medications may lower blood pressure, but you should stop taking prescribed medications only with your doctor's approval.

To stop the drop in blood pressure and prevent fainting, there are special movements:

crossing legs;
muscle tension in the lower body;
clenching your hands into fists;
arm muscle tension.

The technique of correctly performing these movements needs to be learned. In the future, these movements can be performed after noticing symptoms of impending fainting, for example, dizziness.

Sometimes medications are used to treat after fainting. However drug therapy must be prescribed by a doctor.

In addition, syncope can create dangerous situation at work. For example, when handling heavy machinery or dangerous mechanisms, when working at height, etc. Issues of work ability are resolved on a case-by-case basis with the attending physician after completion of the diagnosis.

Which doctor should I contact after fainting?

Using the NaPopravka service you can find a good neurologist who will diagnose possible reasons fainting and suggest treatment if necessary.

If your episodes of loss of consciousness are accompanied by other symptoms not described in this article, use the “Who Treats It” section to choose the right specialist.

Thank you

This article will discuss a condition that occurs in approximately thirty percent of healthy people at least once during their lifetime. This - loss of consciousness. Loss of consciousness is a condition during which a person lies motionless, does not respond to questions and does not perceive what is happening... the site) will help you find out from this article.

Loss of consciousness is light form acute cerebrovascular insufficiency. It is caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain. When there is a loss of consciousness, a violation occurs nervous activity. This disorder is accompanied by a cessation or a significant decrease in the body’s response to external irritation and to a person’s perception of the sensations of his own body.

What are the causes of loss of consciousness?

You know, there are quite a lot of them. However, they are all connected by one thing common feature– brain damage.

Brain damage may result from direct exposure. This could be a head injury, hemorrhage, electrical injury, poisoning. It is quite possible that the brain may be damaged by indirect exposure. This may be bleeding, fainting, shock, heart disease. Very often, people lose consciousness when exposed to heat or cold for a long time. For example, when heatstroke or freezing. Loss of consciousness may also occur if insufficient quantity oxygen in human blood. Most often this happens due to suffocation or poisoning. Metabolic disorders due to fever or diabetes can also cause loss of consciousness.

Signs

Loss of consciousness does not occur suddenly. Most often, the human body shows the first signs in the form of dizziness, lightheadedness, ringing in the ears, severe weakness, yawning, darkening of the eyes, cold sweat, nausea, as well as a feeling of emptiness in the head. The person may also experience numbness in the limbs. It is quite possible that intestinal activity will increase.

The person begins to turn pale, his pulse weakens, and his blood pressure decreases. The eyes first wander, then close, and a loss of consciousness occurs, which lasts for ten seconds. At this moment, muscle tone weakens and the person falls. After this, the person gradually begins to regain consciousness, his eyes open, breathing and cardiac activity stabilize. After a person comes to his senses, he remains alarmed for some time. He's tormented headache, weakness and malaise.

Types of loss of consciousness

There are four types of loss of consciousness. The first type is a sudden and short-term loss of consciousness. The second type refers to a sudden and prolonged loss of consciousness. The third type is a prolonged loss of consciousness with a gradual onset, and finally the fourth type is a loss of consciousness with an unknown onset and duration. The concept of “sudden and short-term” implies the duration of loss of consciousness. It can last from several seconds to several minutes. The term "gradual and continuous" suggests hours or days.

Treatment

Regarding treatment this state, then it involves treating the underlying disease and stopping the loss of consciousness itself. At the moment of loss of consciousness, a person needs to ensure maximum blood flow to the brain - lay the patient on his back and slightly lift his legs, turn his head to the side to prevent the tongue from sinking. Moreover, a person is also offered special medications intended to stimulate vascular tone, as well as a rise in blood pressure.
Losing consciousness is enough dangerous condition. Prevent its appearance and always be aware! Before use, you should consult a specialist.

Reviews

A month ago I was riding on a swing with a friend (very hard). I feel like my legs have come off the swing. I’m starting to come to my senses, the picture is becoming more accurate, but I can’t lift a finger or even move the pupil of my eye!!! And in the back and head there is a strong, but some kind of dull pain. It turned out that when I fell, I lost consciousness... Those who were nearby (my friends) told me that before I began to “come to my senses” I lay there for 30-60 seconds, not counting the moment when I started " see". The situation was also saved by the fact that I did not fall straight, but “rolled” with my back on the ground. Appeared with my back a big problem... But I was surprised that there was no concussion, although for the first minute I had a terrible headache! Could this be? Answer who knows. Thank you in advance!

Since the 5th grade, I have periodically experienced loss of consciousness. this may be once a year. maybe two or three times. This mainly occurs in the morning while lying in bed and can be repeated several times in a row. I was examined by specialists, luminaries, and no one can determine anything. They say you need to do this during an attack. And how can this be done? After all, this can happen both at home and on the street. But amazing. what I feel. I feel like I’m about to fall: I feel nauseous and dizzy. The attack really only lasts a couple of seconds. Previously, during an attack, I was all wet. and then the vomiting started. It is typical that during an attack I always lie down on my stomach and my head is turned to the right, otherwise I cannot lie down. Thank you for reading my sad message. I don't know who can help me.