How to help someone who fainted?

photo source: youtube.com

Fainting is caused by a temporary reduction in the blood flow to the brain, resulting in temporary loss of consciousness.  Most often, you feel when you’re going to faint and you have enough time to sit down before fainting.

Symptoms

• Feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or unsteady on your feet
• Pale appearance
• Falling with no memory of what happened just before the fall

Causes

• Hot, humid weather or stuffy room
• Standing a long time in one place
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Anxiety
• Sudden Emotional stress or fight
• Extreme Pain
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), common in a woman in early pregnancy or a person on a severe diet.
• Anemia
• Heat Stroke or heat exhaustion
• Eating disorder, e.g. bulimia, anorexia
• Any condition in which there is rapid loss of blood., e.g., internal bleeding from peptic ulcer, tubal pregnancy, ruptured ovarian cyst
• Some prescriptions medicines such those that lower blood pressure, tranquilizers, anti depressants, or over the counter medicines taken in excessive amounts
• Any procedure of IUD in a woman that stretches the cervix, e.g., insertion of an IUD in a woman who has never been pregnant
• Head Injury
• Toxic Shock Syndrome
• Heart and Circulatory problems, e.g., abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack, stroke

What you can do?

• Catch the person before he or she falls.
• Have the person lie down with the head below the level of the heart.  Note that you have to check for breathing and a pulse. Raise leg 8 to 12 inches to promote blood flow to the brain.  If a victim who is about to faint can lie down right away, he may not lose consciousness.  If the person cannot lie down, have him sit down, bend forward and put his head between his knees.
• Turn the victim’s head to the side to the tongue does not  fall back into the throat.
• Loosen any tight clothing.
• Apply moist towels to the person’s face and neck.
• Keep the victim warm, especially if surroundings are chilly.

Prevention Tips

• Do not wear tight fitting clothes around your neck.
• Avoid turning your head suddenly.
• Avoid excessive exercise in hot, humid conditions. Drink a lot of liquids when you exercise.
• Stay out of stuffy rooms and hot, humid places.  If this is not possible, use a fan.
• Avoid activities that can put your life in danger  if you have frequent  fainting spells, e.g., driving and climbing high places.
• Drink alcoholic beverages in moderation.
• Get up slowly from bed or from a sitting position.
• Follow your Doctor’s advice to treat any medical condition that may be causing the fainting.  Take medicines as prescribed, but let your doctor know about any side a\effects.
• Avoid strenuous activities until heart-related causes of fainting are ruled out.

 

For pregnant women:

• Get out of bed slowly.
• Keep crackers at your beside and eat a few before getting out of bed.  Other suggested foods ate dry toast, graham crackers, and bananas.
• Eat small, frequent meals instead of  a few large ones.  Avoid sweets. Do not skip meals or go for a long time without eating.
• Do not sit for long periods of time.
• Keep your legs elevated when you sit.
• When you stand for a long time (e.g., in a line). Don’t stand still. Move your legs or contract your leg muscles to pump blood up to your heart,
• Take the vitamins and mineral supplements prescribed by your doctor.
• Never lie on your back during the third trimester of pregnancy.  It is better to lie on your left side or right side.

FIRST AID TREATMENT FOR FAINTING

1.       Lay the person flat in the ground.
2.       If the person is on a chair, push his head down between his knees.
3.       Never pour water over the head of someone who fainted, instead give him smelling salts.

In this video from How Cast, You will learn how a Nurse help someone who fainted.

Previous: Fracture | Next: Foreign Bodies