Fainting: concept, what types there are, how to identify the signs, first aid for fainting.

Possible causes of fainting

There are many causes of fainting and almost all of them are associated with a sudden decrease in the intensity of blood flow in the vessels of the brain. A variety of diseases or conditions can cause such circulatory disorders.

The main causes of fainting in men:

disorders in the functioning of the autonomic nervous system (about 50% of cases) - neuralgia of the glossopharyngeal or trigeminal nerves, orthostatic reactions, hypersensitivity of the carotid sinus, etc.;
heart disease (about 25% of cases) - pathologies of the valve apparatus, myocardial infarction, atrial myxoma, dissection of the aortic aneurysm, pericarditis, arrhythmias, atrioventricular conduction disorder, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary hypertension, etc.;
sudden increase in intracranial pressure - cerebral edema, tumors, hemorrhage;
vascular disorders - atherosclerosis, transient ischemic attack, strokes;
mental and neurological disorders - hysterical syndrome, neuroses, hyperventilation syndrome, epilepsy;
decrease in circulating blood volume - insufficient water intake, bleeding, diarrhea, vomiting, large amounts of urine excreted;
poisoning - alcohol, toxic substances, drugs or medications, carbon monoxide;
intoxication - infectious and oncological diseases;
metabolic disorders - hypoxia, hypercapnia, low blood sugar, etc.;
skull injuries - concussion, brain contusion, traumatic brain injury.

A separate group can be divided into so-called situational fainting that occurs under certain circumstances:

depending on the type of blood;
from the act of defecation or urination;
From cough;
when swallowing, etc.

All of the above-described main causes of fainting are equally characteristic of women. Among them, experts also identify specific factors that cause loss of consciousness in men:

tight shirt collar with tie;
alcohol poisoning;
excessive physical activity during training;
night urination in older people.

Causes of dizziness

What are the causes of dizziness with normal blood pressure in women? In normal conditions, there are many provoking factors that can cause problems with the vestibular system.

The causes of dizziness with normal blood pressure listed below may be typical for women of different ages, including after 50 years and after 60 years.

Long-term

Constant dizziness does not pose a serious threat to human life. This sign indicates the presence of certain pathological processes in the body.

Severe dizziness is a condition that is accompanied by symptoms such as weakness, ringing in the ears, darkening of the eyes, and loss of coordination. Such conditions can be provoked by the following reasons.

Inner ear inflammation

Among such diseases are, for example, labyrinthitis and otitis media, which can act as a provoking factor for an attack of dizziness. Inflammatory processes in the ear can be accompanied by an increase in temperature and severe painful sensations.

A ruptured eardrum can also be accompanied by a condition in which you feel very dizzy. Intensification of attacks occurs in most cases during coughing or sneezing.

Diet

When people want to get rid of extra pounds, their diet usually lacks meat and iron-containing foods. In such situations, many complain of dizziness, although they note that blood pressure is normal.

This condition will indicate the development of anemia due to a lack of iron in the body.

Malignant brain tumor

In some cases, patients note a feeling of dizziness only in a certain area of the head. This is an alarming sign indicating the possible development of brain cancer. In such conditions, urgent and extensive examination is required.

central nervous system

As a rule, impaired blood flow occurs against the background of vegetative-vascular dystonia, which has a negative effect on the entire human body. To eliminate the pathological process, it is necessary to identify and remove the root cause that contributes to its appearance, as well as regularly carry out preventive measures.

Poor circulation can cause not only long-term dizziness, but also more serious health problems.

Osteochondrosis

Pathologies of the spine can be a provoking factor for dizziness. When the vertebrae become twisted or misshapen, the carotid or vertebral artery becomes pinched. As a result, the circulation of blood fluid is disrupted, which causes nutrient deficiency and oxygen starvation in the human brain.

St. John's wort, health benefits and harms after 50 years

The main cause of severe dizziness is cervical osteochondrosis. With this condition, the patient often experiences weakness and loss of coordination. In some cases, there is short-term loss of vision or hearing.

Short-term

Conditions that cause slight dizziness are most often diagnosed at a young age. In most cases, this symptom goes away on its own and does not require treatment.

The causes of dizziness in this case may be:

individual characteristics of the body;
chronic insomnia;
overwork;
nervous tension;
lifting weights.

The factors listed above may contribute to short-term vestibular dysfunction.

Regardless of the cause of the dizziness, if the pressure remains normal, it is advisable to visit your doctor.

With poor coordination

In the case when a person engages in independent superficial treatment, the use of certain medications can become the main cause of vertigo.

However, through numerous studies, more serious factors have been identified. For example, dizziness, accompanied by loss of coordination of movement, occurs in acute circulatory disorders in the brain.

In simple terms, this is a stroke, which is characterized by the rapid death of tissue and brain cells. In this case, dizziness is accompanied by weakness, confusion, increased sweating, numbness of the tongue, and headaches.

Among women

Vertigo in most cases is diagnosed in the fair sex.

The following reasons contribute to the development of false dizziness:

Progression of pregnancy . Symptoms may occur periodically throughout the pregnancy.
Inconstancy of atmospheric pressure . Sudden changes can trigger vertigo.
Seasickness, motion sickness in transport . With poor development of the vestibular apparatus, a person often feels dizzy while driving on a bus, car, or plane.

Riding on attractions often causes people to feel nervous and afraid, which can also cause dizziness.

Pathological reasons can also contribute to the appearance of this condition in women, including:

Meniere's syndrome;
condition before the onset of menstruation;
neuritis;
inflammatory process in the inner ear;
vegetative-vascular dystonia;
varicose veins;
cardiovascular pathologies;
hypotension.

After the age of 40, the female half of the population is more often diagnosed with true dizziness, the provoking factors of which may be:

hormonal imbalances;
the onset of menopause;
hemorrhage in the cerebellum;
transient ischemia;
neuroma;
mental pathologies;
migraine;
diseases of the endocrine system.

In case of such deviations, the patient must always be under the strict supervision of specialists and also take appropriate medications. In this case, a full examination will be required. The possibility cannot be ruled out that vertigo could occur against the background of chronic fatigue.

After going through a crisis period in life, the condition of the female body, as a rule, returns to normal over time.

In men

Diagnosis of anxiety symptoms is also possible in males. In most cases, dizziness often occurs at an older age, usually after 40 years.

In men, vertigo can occur when:

circulatory disorders in the brain;
traumatic brain injuries;
encephalitis;
multiple sclerosis;
stroke;
brain tumors;
general intoxication.

In order for therapeutic measures to be as effective as possible, it is necessary to first undergo an examination to make the correct diagnosis.

Symptoms of fainting

During the period of fainting, several stages can be distinguished with their characteristic symptoms.

Presyncope (or presyncope)

When fainting approaches, a person may experience the following prodromal symptoms (harbingers):

nausea;
severe weakness;
excessive sweating;
pallor;
dizziness;
"floaters" before the eyes.

Their manifestations can last from several seconds to several minutes.

After this, the person experiences the clinical manifestations of presyncope:

increasing weakness;
headache and dizziness;
discomfort or heaviness in the chest;
lack of air;
abdominal pain;
sensation of palpitations, “fading” or “stopping” of the heart;
darkening of the eyes;
tinnitus.

The severity and set of symptoms of presyncope described above can be variable. Sometimes this period is expressed extremely clearly, moderately, vaguely or completely absent. In addition, the patient has signs of the disease that caused the syncope.

Actually syncope

After the end of the pre-syncope period, the person faints:

the person loses the sense of balance and falls in a “sheaf” or slowly sinking;
complete absence of consciousness (about 5-20 seconds, in 10% of cases longer);
complete lack of movement (possibly slight twitching of the limbs or involuntary urination);
dilated pupils;
decreased muscle tone;
pallor;
tongue bite (sometimes).

Post-syncope period

This period begins after the “return” of consciousness. As a rule, the patient begins to recover quickly. He exhibits the following symptoms:

confusion;
general weakness;
drowsiness;
dizziness;
headache;
discomfort in the chest;
heartbeat;
slight difficulty breathing.

In some severe cases, sudden death occurs during a person's fainting (for example, with asystole, pulmonary embolism, ventricular fibrillation, etc.).

Symptoms

The appearance of such a disturbance of consciousness is preceded by uncomfortable and unpleasant sensations. Thus, the symptoms of fainting are:

sudden onset of weakness;
noise in ears;
strong pulsation in the temples;
heaviness in the back of the head;
decreased visual acuity;
pale skin, often the appearance of a gray tint;
the appearance of nausea;
abdominal cramps precede loss of consciousness during menstruation;
excessive sweating.

The pulse of a person who has fainted is palpable weakly, the pupils practically do not react to light.

Symptoms preceding fainting

This condition very rarely lasts more than five minutes, but in cases where it takes longer, fainting with convulsions and urinary incontinence are observed. Thus, a short-term loss of consciousness becomes a deep faint. In addition, some people fall into the obrok with their eyes open, in which case the best solution would be to cover them with a hand or cloth to prevent dryness. After fainting, a person feels drowsy, slightly dizzy and confused. Such sensations go away on their own, but the victim still needs to see a doctor, especially if he was injured during a fall.

First aid for fainting

Sometimes a person experiencing symptoms of pre-syncope can do some things to prevent fainting:

if the condition allows, then you should cross your legs, lean your back on a wall or tree and strongly strain the muscles of your legs and buttocks;
if the condition worsens, sit or lie down;
start breathing deeply and often - the inhalation should be maximum, and during exhalation you should pull in your stomach;
massage the ears;
press with your finger several times and release the point located in the hollow between the lips and nose.

The main goal of first aid for fainting is aimed at eliminating oxygen starvation of brain tissue. To do this, the person next to the victim needs to achieve blood flow to the head. In addition, the development of some possible complications should be prevented.

First aid for fainting includes the following:

If possible, have time to catch a person losing consciousness.
Lay on your back on a flat surface.
If fainting occurred in the winter season and on the street, then it is better to place the patient on a bench or move him indoors (to prevent frostbite and hypothermia). After this, the victim must be covered. If loss of consciousness was caused by overheating or sunstroke, then move the patient to the shade or a cool room.
Unfasten clothing that restricts breathing and blood circulation, loosen the belt and tie.
Place a cushion from available materials under your feet. The limbs should be above the level of the head.
If fainting occurs indoors, fresh air should be provided (open a window or door).
Wet or spray your face with cool water and place a towel soaked in it on your forehead.
To prevent choking on vomit, open your mouth slightly and turn your head to the side. If vomiting begins, turn your entire body on its side.
Instead of ammonia, bring vinegar, a cut onion, or something else with a pungent odor to the patient’s nose. Repeat such attempts every 7-10 seconds until you recover from fainting. It is not recommended to use ammonia, because in some cases it can cause breathing problems (even stopping).
Lightly pat the victim on the cheeks.
If there are abrasions, scratches or wounds, treat them with an antiseptic solution and apply a bandage.
If the victim does not come to his senses within a few minutes or has deep wounds, then be sure to call an ambulance.
In the absence of breathing and pulse, resuscitation measures should be carried out - artificial respiration and chest compressions.
After regaining consciousness, the patient is recommended to remain in a horizontal position for about half an hour. After relative stabilization of the condition, he should drink sweet tea or 20-30 drops of valerian tincture. You can only get back on your feet gradually. Someone must accompany him to the medical facility.
If after fainting a person’s face does not become pale, but turns red, then this sign may indicate arterial hypertension or heatstroke. In such cases, the patient must be placed with his head raised. After this, you should immediately call an ambulance or a doctor!

Hungry faint

Loss of consciousness caused by hunger is considered relevant for the beautiful part of humanity. After all, it is these cute creatures, in constant attempts to become the most attractive and charming, that exhaust their own bodies with endless diets and hunger strikes, which causes negative consequences, among which should be a disorder of motor coordination, brain injuries, changes in character traits, memory, and various bruises.

As the name implies, hungry fainting is a consequence of the lack of essential nutrients supplied to the body with food. However, this type of fainting occurs not only due to a lack of food.

For example, consuming exclusively proteins or only carbohydrates (dairy diet) can also provoke loss of consciousness. Failure to comply with the required ratio of organic substances causes a lack of production of the necessary energy reserve. As a result, the body has to find internal reserves, which leads to changes in metabolism. Brain tissues do not have internal depots of oxygen and necessary substances, so the deficiency of organic compounds, first of all, affects the nerve fibers.

Stress during a normal diet can also trigger hungry fainting. Because any stress requires excessive energy expenditure and is accompanied by an increase in blood pressure. If there are not enough resources, the so-called shutdown of “unimportant” objects occurs in the body - blood flow to the digestive organs decreases to provide the brain, myocardium and lungs with the necessary amount of nutrition. With a lack of such nutrition, the brain shuts down, which causes a hungry faint.

Excessive physical exertion also requires an excess of vital nutrients. If the daily diet does not maintain an adequate ratio of organic compounds or the foods consumed have a low concentration of carbohydrates, a mismatch occurs between the body’s capabilities and its needs. Again, the brain is the first to suffer from this, which provokes loss of consciousness.

Providing assistance for fainting caused by hunger does not differ from measures for other types of fainting.

Diagnosis of the causes of fainting

If there was no reason to call an ambulance, then after fainting you should consult a therapist. The doctor will listen to the patient’s complaints, conduct an examination and, if necessary, refer you for consultation to an appropriate specialist (cardiologist, neurologist, psychotherapist, endocrinologist, etc.).

Next, the patient may be recommended the following examination methods:

laboratory blood tests;
blood pressure measurement;
ECG (various types);
Echo-CG;
dopplerography of neck vessels;
cardiac rhythmography;
computer sphygmomanometry;
angiography;
blood test for thyroid hormones;
CT;
MRI;
electroencephalogram, etc.

The scope of diagnostic measures to determine the causes of fainting is determined individually for each patient. After analyzing the results, the doctor will be able to prescribe the necessary treatment.

Source: menquestions.ru

Causes of fainting

Fainting may occur due to the following reasons:

lowering blood pressure;
lack of oxygen;
blood loss;
dehydration of the body;
circulatory disorders;
emotional outburst;
sharp pain;
micro-strokes in older people;
vascular and heart diseases;
long stay in a stuffy room;
stomach diseases;
anemia;
arrhythmia;
hypoglycemia.

Another common cause of presyncope is neurogenic disorders. They are caused by the following factors:

stressful situations;
strong fear;
fatigue;
taking certain medications;
hot weather.

Also, neurogenic fainting occurs with significant blood loss, anemia, diabetes mellitus and alcohol abuse.

Fainting in children

Most mothers would like to understand why children faint and what they should do if their baby faints. The causes of fainting in children are usually severe pain, hunger, various emotional shocks, prolonged stay in a stuffy room, especially in a standing position, infectious diseases, blood loss, rapid deep breathing. Fainting can also occur in children suffering from disorders in the functioning of the ganglionic nervous system. Children with low blood pressure often lose consciousness when quickly moving to an upright position from a lying position. In addition, brain injury can cause fainting.

Some heart diseases also cause loss of consciousness. Complete blockade of the anatomical structures of the heart (myocardial conduction system), atrioventricular block (Morgagni-Adams-Stokes syndrome) are clinically manifested by attacks of fainting and convulsive attacks, which are accompanied by cyanosis of the skin or pallor. Most often the attack occurs at night. This condition goes away on its own.

Providing assistance when a child faints does not require specific skills or special knowledge. In the first turn, the baby should be laid down, the pillow should be removed and the foot end of the bed should be raised by about thirty degrees. This position promotes blood flow towards the brain. Then it is necessary to ensure the flow of air (relieve the baby of tight clothing, open the window, unbutton the top button). Strong odors (ammonia, mother's eau de toilette) or other irritants will help the child regain consciousness. You can splash some cold water on his face or rub his ears. These measures are aimed at increasing capillary tone and improving blood flow.

After the baby regains consciousness, he should not be raised for approximately ten to twenty minutes. Then you can give the baby some sweet tea.

From the above it is clear that help with fainting, first of all, consists in improving hemodynamics, which quickly eliminates the symptoms of fainting.

Types of fainting

Depending on the mechanism of development, the following types of fainting are distinguished:

Vascular syncope

Accompanied by a sudden decrease in vascular tone, a weak but rapid pulse. It mainly occurs in people with vegetative-vascular dystonia. In this condition, there is constantly low blood pressure and anemia. People of asthenic build, children and adolescents during puberty are susceptible to vascular syncope.

Vagal syncope

Loss of consciousness is characterized by a sharp drop in blood pressure, bradycardia, and asystole. A person's heart rate suddenly decreases, causing a decrease in the volume of blood flowing to the brain. Let it slow down, but not weaken. Vagal syncope occurs in people who have a heavy build or are overweight.

Emotional syncope

Such fainting causes severe stress, fear and other negative emotions. They can appear in a healthy person, but are more common in people with neurosis and vegetative-vascular dystonia. First, general tension arises, then there is concern about dryness in the mouth, general weakness, a pressing feeling in the heart area, paleness of the facial skin, difficulty breathing, trembling of the limbs, eyelids or lips.

Cardiogenic syncope

Cardiogenic or cardiac syncope provokes cardiovascular diseases. This type is considered the most dangerous. It is accompanied by a drop in cardiac output below the critical value required for effective blood supply to the vessels of the brain.

Simple fainting

A simple fainting state is characterized by gradual development. Loss of consciousness causes blurred vision, nausea and dizziness. At the same time, blood pressure decreases, the pulse weakens, the pupils become wider and react less well to light, and the skin turns pale. The duration of a simple faint is 25-45 seconds.

Convulsive fainting

Against the background of autonomic dysfunction and low muscle tone, tonic convulsions occur, provoking convulsive fainting. In addition to convulsions, a person may experience blue or redness of the face. Sometimes isolated muscle twitching may occur.

Orthostatic syncope

Occurs when the body rises sharply from a sitting or lying position. Accompanied by darkening of the eyes and loss of coordination. Primary autonomic failure, prolonged bed rest, and sympathectomy predispose to this type of syncope.

Fainting during pregnancy

Presyncope during pregnancy occurs due to three main reasons:

decreased hemoglobin and the development of anemia;
low blood pressure;
lack of circulating blood for the woman and fetus.

Fainting during pregnancy

The happiest time in a girl's life is considered to be the period of pregnancy. But in addition to positive emotions, expectant mothers face a number of minor troubles, among which are dizziness and loss of consciousness.

Many women, before deciding to have a baby, are interested in various details related to bearing a fetus. Therefore, the question of why expectant mothers faint is quite popular among women planning a pregnancy.

Usually, fainting during pregnancy is a consequence of low blood pressure. A drop in blood pressure is often caused by fatigue, stuffiness, hunger, emotional instability, various respiratory ailments or exacerbations of chronic pathologies.

During fetal growth, the enlarged uterus puts pressure on the capillaries located nearby, which disrupts normal hemodynamics. The vessels of the limbs, pelvis and back do not allow blood to pass through well, especially in a supine position. As a result, blood pressure may drop.

Also, during pregnancy, the body of expectant mothers undergoes a lot of different physiological changes. One of the physiological transformations is an increase in the amount of circulating blood by approximately thirty-five percent. Until the female body adapts to the changes, fainting may occur.

Anemia is a common cause of fainting in pregnant women, since the amount of blood increases only due to an increase in plasma volume. As a result, the blood becomes thinner, since the number of red blood cells in it is reduced. This causes a decrease in hemoglobin levels, resulting in anemia.

Also, expectant mothers may lose consciousness due to low glucose levels. Due to toxicosis, women can often eat irregularly or inadequately. Improper diet causes a decrease in blood concentration, which causes fainting.

Diagnostic methods

First of all, the doctor conducts a clinical examination of the patient. To confirm the diagnosis, a 24-hour ECG may be needed to monitor for abnormal heart rhythms that may have caused fainting. If a person has anemia or diabetes, doctors recommend a general blood test and a blood sugar test.

To determine the cause of neurogenic syncope, it is necessary to conduct tests showing autonomic reactivity. This can be a test that monitors ECG, blood pressure and electroencephalogram for 30 minutes in an upright position and with a sharp transition to a horizontal position, and then again to the starting position. Additional research methods include ultrasound of internal organs, computed tomography and MRI.

In CMRI clinics, the causes of fainting are identified using the following methods:

Source: cmrt.ru

What to do if you faint? First aid

Fainting is definitely accompanied by panic, and not only of those who lose consciousness, but also of people who are nearby at that very time. Fainting can be caused by various reasons, such as a sharp decrease in blood pressure from excessive anxiety or fatigue, but also more serious ones, including cardiovascular diseases. Regardless of the cause of fainting, severe or not, it is urgent, without delay, to do everything possible to improve the condition. In such cases, remember that excitement and fear are very bad advisors, be cool and restrained.

If you suddenly suddenly feel weak, accompanied by darkening of your eyes, the first thing you need to do is find an opportunity to lie down, even on the floor. The heaviness in your head will not go away quickly, do not rush to get up. If someone is close to you, ask for a damp cloth to place on their forehead. When you are sure that you can move, do so and carefully walk to the nearest chair, armchair, but preferably a sofa or bed. Some recover quickly, others later, relax and make sure that your health is safe and you are able to take the following actions.

Suppose fainting could not be prevented, and you fell on the street or on the floor in the apartment, then after regaining consciousness, be sure to check your body for injuries, look for cuts or bruises and see if there is a strong blow to the head, back or other parts of the body that They are hurting at the moment.

Sometimes a person who has lost consciousness is alone, whether in the house, on the street or at a retail outlet, after clearing consciousness the most important thing is to get to the phone and call relatives, friends or neighbors, even if you have not yet assessed the situation , how serious your condition is , ask someone to come to the place where you fainted and they will help you get home and call an ambulance. Do not hesitate to ask a friend to ask you a few questions to rule out the seriousness of the situation that occurred when you lost consciousness. Your answers will help determine whether your memory is normal and whether your brain is working properly. If you feel that you have unclear gaps in your memory, an urgent call to the ambulance is simply necessary.

The next step to restore strength is to drink a glass of sweet juice or tea. Fainting can occur due to hypoglycemia, which occurs when blood glucose levels are very low. Fruit juice will help restore your glucose levels to normal. Most often, when going on a diet, a person excludes certain foods that contain a lot of sugar and does not eat enough fruit; in these cases, hypoglycemia will not take long to occur.

About the types of vertigo

Our ability to move in a coordinated manner is influenced by the following factors:

Eyes - show the position of a person relative to other objects;
Limb receptors - they have the same role as the eyes;
Vestibular apparatus - with the help of it we correctly respond to the speed of change in the body and its position in a certain place;

These 3 components send basic data to the brain, thanks to which we can maintain balance and simply understand where we are.

If there are problems with the transfer of information from at least one source, the picture of the world we perceive is greatly distorted, we may lose our balance or stop distinguishing between objects.

True vertigo

If you have true vertigo, then even with normal blood pressure, women may simply lose their balance; this is the main sign of true vertigo.

Vertigo appears because completely different data about the world around us comes to the brain from the eyes and the musculoskeletal system. The best way to describe vertigo is when you fall to the ground after “flying” on fast carousels.

There are several types of vertigo:

Central - unpleasant sensations appear over time, as soon as the patient’s condition becomes worse, its causes may be constant fatigue, diabetes, stress, anemia, encephalopathy, migraine, sclerosis, cancer and epilepsy. However, there are no problems with hearing, a lot of sweating, tachycardia, there are no “midges” before the eyes, but you feel a quick fainting, weakness and a sudden sleepiness;
Peripheral - long-term dizziness, can last more than 1 day, hearing problems appear, tachycardia, increased sweating, vomiting, blood pressure, however, remains normal. The causes of such vertigo are problems with blood circulation, sudden loss of vision, various inflammatory processes, ear injuries; You need to know that peripheral vertigo is one of the indicators that you may have Meniere's disease.

Zyrtec or Cetrin, which is better?

False vertigo

With false vertigo, the head also feels dizzy, but this is more like the consequences of intoxication (this is called lipotomy). In this condition, a lot of sweat is released, tachycardia, pallor, nausea, and blurred vision appear.

This vertigo gets its name not because it exists in reality, but because the patient feels it due to the symptoms that appear. Lipotomy occurs due to damage to the brain and central nervous system, as well as due to low sugar levels, too viscous blood, anemia, myopia, neuroses and depression.

You need to know that false vertigo can appear in women who are pregnant, who are currently experiencing PMS or menopause, and its appearance is also influenced by other reasons associated with changes in hormonal levels.

BPPV

These 4 letters can be deciphered as “benign paroxysmal positional vertigo” . It does not last long, from about a few seconds to 1 minute; it can only be felt in certain head positions, for example, with the head thrown back. BPPV occurs due to damage to the inner ear; it can occur due to infection, inflammation or injury.

Previously, this problem was found only in older people, but now it can easily be diagnosed in a teenager.

FACT! Women who smoke may experience vertigo due to the fact that they are taking birth control pills, and vertigo also most often occurs due to the use of strict diets.

But in any case, you should consult a doctor, even if you think the problem is not serious, it’s not worth risking your health.

Causes of fainting in men and women, symptoms

Nervous system

Fainting is most often caused by a temporary malfunction in the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system consists of the brain, nerves, and spinal cord. It regulates automatic body functions such as heart rate and blood pressure. An external trigger, such as heat or sudden pain, can temporarily cause the autonomic nervous system to stop working properly, resulting in low blood pressure and fainting. Coughing, sneezing or laughing can sometimes place sudden tension in the autonomic nervous system, which can also cause you to faint (situational syncope). The autonomic nervous system can also sometimes respond abnormally to upright posture. Usually, when you stand, your heart rate remains the same. However, standing up can sometimes cause the heart rate to increase by more than 30 beats per minute, resulting in symptoms such as shortness of breath, palpitations and fainting.

Preventing fainting

To prevent fainting, it is important to avoid provoking situations. A balanced diet and sufficient fluid intake will help avoid fainting. Do not wear tight collars, do not stay in stuffy rooms, do not abuse alcoholic beverages. At the first sign, you should try to sit down or lie down. And if this is not possible, then you need to tense the muscles of the lower torso or cross your legs. This will prevent blood from flowing into your legs.

The brain is a very complex organ and instantly reacts to any problems in the body. But the body knows how to protect itself. Programmed to preserve life, in critical situations it shuts down the brain to maintain vital processes such as heartbeat and breathing.

Fainting

Fainting (syncope) is a short-term loss of consciousness. Most often it occurs due to a lack of oxygen in the brain caused by impaired cerebral circulation.

Signs

Fainting is always accompanied by a pre-fainting state, during which a person usually experiences sudden weakness, dizziness, nausea, spots flash before the eyes, a veil appears, and a ringing in the ears. At the same time, the legs give way, the skin turns pale and becomes covered in cold sweat.

Fainting develops gradually; the person does not fall, but slowly subsides. Loss of consciousness is usually short-lived, the person quickly comes to his senses, however, sometimes fainting lasts more than five minutes. In this case, cramps or involuntary urination are possible.

After loss of consciousness, the skin becomes grayish, blood pressure drops, and the pulse is difficult to palpate. The muscles are relaxed, but in some cases twitching of the arms or legs is possible (convulsive fainting). The pupils dilate and react to light, but very slowly.

After fainting, confusion is possible, but the patient quickly comes to his senses.

Description

There are many causes of fainting, however, it is possible to establish the true cause only in half of the cases. Therefore, the exact relationship between the different types of fainting is unknown. Most often, the causes of fainting are not directly related to the heart.

In approximately 50% of cases, fainting occurs due to disruption of the autonomic nervous system. This kind of fainting is called neurogenic.

Neurogenic syncope is divided into:

vasopressor, which occurs in young people in certain situations - with fear, pain, the sight of blood, emotional stress, stuffiness;
orthostatic, which occurs with a sudden change in position and when taking certain medications (antidepressants, antihypertensive drugs);
fainting with increased sensitivity of the carotid sinus, characteristic of elderly men suffering from atherosclerosis and hypertension and wearing tight collars;
fainting when intrathoracic pressure increases, occurring at night in older men when coughing, defecating and urinating.

25% of fainting occurs due to cardiac dysfunction. These are cardiogenic syncope. They develop when:

Fainting can also be due to hyperventilation. Such fainting occurs when:

panic attack;
anxiety attack;
as a result of unconscious quickening and deepening of breathing.

Fainting can develop when the cardiovascular system is disrupted, for example, with a transient ischemic attack, atherosclerosis of the head and neck vessels, or strokes.

Fainting can also be caused by a sudden increase in intracranial pressure.

Fainting can develop due to a decrease in the concentration of oxygen, glucose or electrolytes in the blood due to hypoxia, anemia, renal or liver failure.

A decrease in circulating blood volume due to severe bleeding, diarrhea, and excessive urination can also cause fainting.

Quite often, fainting develops due to mental disorders.

Fainting is also possible due to carbon monoxide or alcohol poisoning.

Fainting can also occur with migraines, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, pulmonary hypertension and dehydration.

First aid

A person in a fainting state must be laid on his back on a flat, hard surface and his head turned to the side. If this is not possible, you need to sit the person on a bench or on the floor and tilt his torso as low as possible so that his shoulders touch his knees. You need to make breathing as easy as possible; to do this, loosen his belt and unbutton his shirt collar. You can let him smell a cotton swab soaked in ammonia. And if you don’t have ammonia on hand, you can simply sprinkle the patient’s face and chest with cold water, and also rub his earlobes, temples, chest, arms and legs. If fainting occurs in a stuffy room, you need to open the window.

Treatment

Syncope, which is an isolated case of reflex fainting, does not require treatment. For other fainting conditions, therapy is selected individually, taking into account the pathogenetic mechanisms that caused fainting. During the interictal period, restorative treatment is carried out.

Treatment with folk remedies

These traditional medicine recipes are recommended for people prone to fainting:

Linden decoction. Take 2 tbsp. l. crushed linden flowers, pour 400 ml of hot water, boil for 10 minutes, leave until cool, strain. Drink 200-400 ml at night as a sedative and analgesic for nervous diseases and fainting. In this case, you need to immediately sprinkle the juice from the lemon peel into the victim’s nose, and rub the temples with the same peel. It is advisable to prepare 200 ml of water acidified with lemon and give it to the awakened person to drink.[ads_hr hr_style=”hr-fade”]
Fruit juices. Doctor V. Yatsko from Donetsk recommends drinking 200 ml of orange, tangerine or grape juice to prevent fainting.[ads_hr hr_style=»hr-fade»]
When a child faints. If you don’t have ammonia on hand, take a head of onion, cut it and let it smell. You can apply chopped onions to your temples and forehead. Bite the little finger of the left hand (in the center of the first phalanx), press firmly with the index finger under the nose. Wipe your face and chest with cold water.

Complications

A person who faints runs the risk of receiving injuries to the face and head, sometimes incompatible with life.

Causes of presyncope

Fainting and pre-fainting conditions most often occur due to insufficient blood supply to the brain and its oxygen starvation.

Low blood pressure (especially a sharp drop)
Anemia of various origins (decreased hemoglobin levels in the blood)
Blood loss (injury, internal bleeding, including prolonged or heavy menstruation)
Overwork
Heatstroke or sunstroke
Dehydration
Hunger and low blood sugar
Taking certain medications (including oral contraceptives)
Pregnancy
Bronchial asthma
Heart disease, especially arrhythmia and bradycardia, coronary heart disease, defects (more often manifested after physical activity)
Liver or kidney failure, hepatitis
Helminthiasis and other parasitic diseases
Signs of intoxication of the body due to the development of infection or poisoning (chemicals, carbon monoxide, alcohol)
Thyroid diseases
Autonomic neuropathy
Mechanical impairment of free blood flow to the brain, vertebral artery syndrome (osteochondrosis, cervical spondylolisthesis, Arnold-Chiari malformation)
Acute emotional experience, panic attack
Abrupt change of position (from horizontal to vertical) and weakness of the vestibular apparatus
Unusual intense physical activity

Symptoms of presyncope

There are not many signs of a pre-fainting state; it usually manifests itself in dizziness, sometimes nausea appears (vomiting almost never), the eyes become dark, orientation in space disappears and weakness appears in the muscles, which makes the person want to sit down or lie down. In some cases, there is noise or heat in the ears, and one’s own heartbeat is clearly registered. The blood drains from the face, causing the skin to appear very pale or take on a yellowish or greenish tint if the patient has any chronic diseases. Sometimes, against the background of a pale face, a cyanotic nasolabial triangle appears (with diseases of the heart and respiratory system). Attention! Usually, when a patient notices a faint state, he tends to take a safer position (sit or lie down). After a few minutes, blood flow is restored and the patient feels only residual weakness and, possibly, a headache. If you can’t get into a comfortable position, for example, while standing in a stuffy vehicle or at a meeting under the sun, full-blown fainting may develop. And fainting is dangerous not only because of the reasons that caused it, but also because of the consequences: head injuries when hitting the ground, getting hit by a car when fainting near the roadway, injuries of varying severity (and even lethal) when falling on surrounding objects: steps, sharp fences, corners of building plinths, etc.).

Preventive measures

It is better to prevent a disease than to cure it later. Therefore, it is important to know preventive measures that will prevent fainting from developing.

Proper nutrition is an important factor to pay attention to. If you decide to lose weight and are on a diet, it is better to do this under the watchful supervision of a nutritionist. If you are not on a diet, be sure to review your diet; perhaps it is missing some elements.
At least minimal physical activity is required.
You need to spend at least two hours a day in the fresh air.
Visit your therapist regularly; women should visit a gynecologist at least once a year.
Avoid nervous overload.

Fainting is a dangerous condition for the body , so be sure to visit a doctor, even if you lost consciousness just once.

Types of presyncope

There are several types of fainting and pre-syncope, depending on the mechanism of their development:

Vaso-vagal syncope (vascular), occurs due to a sharp decrease in vascular tone. A weak but frequent pulse is characteristic. Most often, a prefainting state develops with VSD and is accompanied by constantly low blood pressure (90/60) and anemia. Usually found in people of asthenic physique, children and adolescents during a period of rapid growth.
Vagal syncope. The vagus nerve causes a sudden decrease in heart rate, which reduces the amount of blood flowing to the brain. The pulse does not weaken, but slows down. It is more common in people who have a heavy build or are overweight.
Emotional fainting can develop in any person due to an acute emotional experience or sudden fear.
Cardiogenic fainting (cardiac) is provoked by diseases of the cardiovascular system and is considered the most dangerous (in terms of the causes that cause them).
Orthostatic fainting. Sharp darkening of the eyes and loss of coordination when changing position (most often, a sharp rise from a lying or sitting position).
Fainting during pregnancy. There are three main causes of presyncope during pregnancy:

Often during gestation, women develop anemia, i.e. there is a sharp lack of hemoglobin and brain tissue does not receive the required amount of oxygen;
with low blood pressure, the blood “does not rise” to the pregnant woman’s head; in a horizontal position, the symptoms of a pre-fainting state disappear;
There are rare cases when the volume of the mother's circulating blood is not enough for her and the fetus together.

In addition to those listed, there are many more types of fainting: hypoglycemic, provoked by a tight collar or shortness of breath, as a manifestation of subclavian steal syndrome, and others.

Contraindications

Some medicinal herbs may be contraindicated for pregnant and nursing mothers, so you should consult your doctor before using them. Use external agents with caution in case of skin disorders or in the presence of nervous or mental disorders. Overdose should be avoided. Some decoctions and infusions should not be used for insomnia, epilepsy, tachycardia, hypertension, acute inflammatory processes and visual impairment.

Rating 0.00 (0 Votes)

Treatment of presyncope

First of all, you need to know about primary care methods for the onset of presyncope. If you notice that the person next to you suddenly turns pale and begins to “sag”, loses coordination of movements, the pupils dilate sharply and the gaze does not focus, complains of dizziness and tinnitus (or you feel all these symptoms yourself)

the victim must be carefully seated or laid down so that he does not fall and is not injured during the fall;
if it is very hot, stuffy, or sunny outside, you need to take the person to a shady and cool place, or at least fan him or her with a fan or a damp towel;
give cool water to drink: when drinking, the respiratory function is restored, which entails the restoration of the pulse, so the pre-fainting state will pass faster;
in some cases, you can smell some pungent odor (standard ammonia);
Give sweet tea to drink to raise blood sugar levels.

If a pre-fainting state occurs extremely rarely and has objective causes (heat stroke, fatigue, sudden change of position), then it does not require treatment. However, syncope is often a symptom of serious neurological and cardiac diseases, so in order not to miss the onset of the development of pathology, it is better to consult a doctor. The Aximed Neurology Clinic suggests visiting a consultation with a neurologist who, based on your complaints and medical history, will prescribe the necessary tests and, based on the results, propose the most effective treatment strategy.

Source: aksimed.ua

Treatment of dizziness

Having diagnosed the disease, the doctor prescribes a course of therapy. These are usually sedatives and vestibulolytics. They are designed to prevent further panic attacks, increased anxiety, bouts of depression and other consequences of stressful situations.

Patients are often prescribed antiemetics, such as metoclopramide.

Medicines against spasms and allergic reactions are prescribed to get rid of itching, pain and other uncomfortable sensations, which make the patient, who is already unwell, even more nervous.

Important: each remedy has its own contraindications and side effects, which is why only a specialist should prescribe them.

Traditional medicine

Having found out what causes dizziness at normal pressure, the doctor begins to treat the disease itself.

BPPV . This disease usually goes away on its own within months, and sometimes even within fifteen days. However, in order to make everything easier, it is better for the patient to undergo a course of exercise therapy. This way he can bring otoliths to the healthy part of the ear, saving the diseased part from them. If the case is severe, an operation is performed during which the doctor blocks the part of the ear in which vertigo appeared.

If a patient has an infection in the inner ear , he is prescribed antibiotics, drugs to reduce the activity of the central nervous system and anti-inflammatory hormones.

There is no cure for Meniere's disease . But it can be alleviated with benzodiazepines and antiemetics. If the situation requires it, antibiotics can be administered, but only into the ear itself, and only during hospital treatment. All medications used in this case are used to ensure that the diseased ear is less likely to spoil coordination of movements.

For autoimmune damage to the inner ear, the doctor prescribes corticosteroids, antitumor drugs and cytotoxins.

For migraines, the patient may be prescribed aspirin, antidepressants, ibuprofen, anticonvulsants and beta blockers.

If a patient suffers from anemia , the doctor prescribes blood-restoring agents, selects a special diet, and, if necessary, gives blood transfusions to increase the content of red blood cells.

Ivan tea - health benefits and harms after 50 years

In diabetes mellitus, glypoglycemia may occur, caused by a lack of sugar in the blood. For rare and relatively mild attacks, you need to eat a cake, candy or other sweets, or take glucose. If the patient loses consciousness, glucose is administered by intravenous injection.

Important: medications must be prescribed by a doctor. They cannot be prescribed independently.

ethnoscience

Folk recipes for dizziness with normal blood pressure at home:

tsp meadow clover flowers pour 1 tbsp. boiling water, cover with a lid and let cool. Strain. Drink 4 times a day, 1 tbsp. l. facilities;
chopped fern leaves pour boiling water in the proportion of 1 tbsp. l. raw materials for 1 tbsp. water. Cool. Strain. Drink 20 minutes before each meal, 1 tbsp. l. drug;
keep cotton wool soaked in camphor alcohol in the apartment.

Useful: if you have problems with the vestibular system, it is useful for you to eat cheese, legumes, cucumbers and nuts more often.

Exercise therapy

Violations of the vestibular apparatus can be quickly corrected by doing certain exercises.

They are aimed at the following:

strengthening the physical characteristics of the whole organism;
returning the sense of balance to normal;
improved eye-hand coordination.

The patient should exercise his eyes every time he wakes up. The exercise involves looking up and down and to the sides, avoiding turning your head. At first, a few seconds will be enough, and then the exercise needs to be done longer and longer.

A similar exercise is done with the head. The first time you do it, close your eyes, and then open them.

There is another suitable exercise: sit on a stool with a flat and hard seat, throw your head back, bend over so that your fingers touch the floor. Then you can gradually make the exercise more difficult - instead of touching the floor, lift an object like a ball.