First aid for fainting and loss of consciousness

First aid for fainting should always be provided immediately. Loss of consciousness is a very common condition in everyday life, which is why people need to know how to provide first aid for fainting and its basic principles. Unconsciousness as a separate symptomatic indicator may not pose a risk to the victim’s life, but it can expose the body to injury or be a sign of a serious illness. Since the main etiological factor causing syncope is considered to be a lack of oxygen in the brain structures due to a violation of their adequate blood supply, the primary measures consist of laying the victim horizontally, raising his lower limbs.

Providing first aid for fainting

In order for the initial measures to provide assistance to an individual who has temporarily lost consciousness to be adequate, it is necessary to have an idea of ​​what the state of unconsciousness is. So, fainting is expressed by an attack of short-term loss of consciousness, which occurs as a result of a transient disorder of the blood supply to the brain. Often this condition is caused by pathological processes, for example, various arrhythmias. Also, loss of consciousness is often provoked by a low concentration of O2 in the blood or regulatory dysfunction of the capillaries. In medical science, fainting is called syncope.

Providing first aid for fainting often depends on the etiological factor that provoked unconsciousness. So, for example, if syncope occurs due to elevated environmental temperatures, then the victim must be taken outside or the windows opened; you can also put ice wrapped in a cloth on the frontal area.

There are many reasons that cause blackouts. The following are the most common: nervous overstrain, exposure to daily stressors, sudden drop in blood pressure, hunger, O2 deficiency, physical exhaustion, overheating of the body, stuffy or hot rooms, changes in atmospheric pressure. The listed reasons are classified as non-hazardous. However, unconsciousness is often a kind of signal indicating the presence of severe illnesses in the body. Therefore, first aid for fainting must include calling an ambulance.

Syncope is often a sign of the following ailments: internal bleeding, myocardial failure, some chronic illnesses, and brain injury. Therefore, if suspicions arise that the victim has one of the above pathologies or the individual is passed out for more than one hundred and twenty seconds and providing first aid for fainting did not bring the patient to consciousness, you must immediately call a doctor.

The symptoms of fainting conditions are not caused by an etiological factor. In other words, the manifestations of syncopation of different origins are the same. Often, blackouts are accompanied by precursors, such as a feeling of lack of air, nausea and extraneous buzzing in the ears, sudden weakness, dizziness, blurred vision. If the described manifestations appear, it is recommended to immediately lie down or at least take a sitting position. Fainting does not occur in a supine position.

If it was not possible to avoid loss of consciousness, then the following clinical manifestations are more often observed: pallor of the dermis, cold sweat, rare and shallow breathing, drop in pressure, weak pulse.

With the symptoms described above, it is prohibited:

— sit down the forcibly injured person or hold him in a vertical position, leaning him against the wall;

- move the patient if there is reason to believe that syncope is a consequence of injury;

- shake, shake or make other sudden movements.

So, first aid for fainting involves doing the following: In the first turn, as was written above, it is necessary to lay the victim on his back on the surface in such a manner that the lower limbs are located above the head, which will ensure a flow of blood to the brain structures. Then you need to ensure air flow. If the patient is surrounded by a crowd of onlookers, you should ask them to disperse; if the patient is in a stuffy office, you need to open a window or take him outside if there is no suspicion of injury. It is also recommended to free the individual’s neck and other parts of the body from constricting wardrobe elements, such as a shirt collar buttoned to the top, a scarf or tie, a trouser waistband or a belt. Next, you should influence the receptors, for example, sprinkle the victim’s face with cool water, lightly pat his cheeks, or bring a cotton ball dipped in ammonia, the pungent smell of which will return the individual to consciousness in a matter of moments.

If syncope is a consequence of overheating, then the victim must be moved to the shade, a cool room, or given cold, lightly salted water or tea. After the return of consciousness, the functioning of the psyche and all organs is quickly restored. However, if syncope is caused by the presence of pathologies, then pain in the sternum and increased pressure may be observed.

What can cause you to lose consciousness?

Fainting may be a harbinger of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, in which vascular ruptures, acute thrombosis or embolism occur. In this state, the loss of consciousness is deep and longer lasting than fainting. A transition into a coma is not excluded. Epilepsy with impaired consciousness and atonic seizures are not called fainting. Seizures occur as a result of a disturbance in the excitation of the cerebral cortex (nerve cells), which causes an imbalance of inhibition and excitation.

A nervous system disorder puts too much stress on the body, which is difficult for the brain center to bear. Shock occurs, a sharp decrease in blood pressure, and disruption of brain function. Fainting can occur with other disorders in the human body that are difficult to identify. The district nurse's handbook describes common causes of fainting:

• emotional stress;
• a feeling of general weakness (poor nutrition, hunger, prolonged anxiety);
• lack of oxygen in the room where a person lives - the oxygen level decreases due to the accumulation of a large number of people in the room, air pollution, poor ventilation system;
• result of heat stroke;
• long periods of standing;
• anemia, arrhythmia;
• bronchial asthma;
• traumatic brain injury;
• severe cough or flu-like fever;
• abdominal injuries;
• blood loss;
• fatigue, overwork;
• pregnancy;
• side effect from taking medications;
• fright;
• adolescence or old age;
• intoxication (with alcohol abuse, infectious origin);
• allergic reaction;
• serious illnesses.

Fainting in a child

Many people experienced their first fainting spell in childhood.

Often in a child it is associated with strong emotions (fear, fear, strong excitement, stress), lack of sleep, overwork, hunger. Fainting can be caused by a stuffy room, overheating, or hypothermia. Dehydration, injury, acute and chronic diseases can also be a cause.

Fainting is characterized by certain symptoms. The child may complain of headache, dizziness, tinnitus, ringing, “flickers before the eyes,” and nausea. If fainting happens quickly, then he may not have time to tell about his poor health.

Then you should pay attention to the following signs in your child:

• skin becomes pale
• hands, feet are cold
• breathing is frequent, shallow
• cold sticky sweat appears
• he is inhibited, weakly reacts to sounds, touches
• his legs give way, he slips or falls to the floor

If fainting occurs at home, then parents need to do the following:

1. Place the child on the bed, remove the pillow and elevate the legs using a bolster.
2. Create an influx of fresh air by opening a window or window.
3. Spray your face with cold water or place a wet towel on your forehead.
4. Moisten a cotton swab with ammonia and let it smell.
5. If the child does not regain consciousness within 3-5 minutes, call an ambulance immediately.

If a child has fainted for the first time and the reason is clear, then a trip to the doctor is not necessary. But if this is not the first time you have fainted, then it is better to consult a specialist for qualified help and diagnosis.

How to help yourself?

Very often there are situations when a person, being alone, begins to feel that he will soon lose consciousness. In this case, you don’t have to rely on outside help, so you need to know what to do when fainting occurs, or how to prevent it yourself. The main thing here is not to get confused and quickly react to what is happening. The following points indicate impending fainting:

1. The noise or buzzing in the ears begins to increase.
2. Dark circles and spots appear before your eyes, objects flicker or blur, and the image becomes blurry.
3. It creates the impression of detachment from reality.

If this happens, you must quickly take a sitting or lying position. If this happens in the summer, then you need to find shade and hide there from the scorching rays of the sun.

In addition, oxygen access to the brain should be ensured. To do this you need to take deep breaths. During the first few seconds, it is better to breathe very often and deeply. After the signs that indicate an imminent loss of consciousness have passed, you can regulate your breathing at your discretion. If there is water nearby at such a moment, wash your face and moisten your forehead with it.

One of the most effective ways to avoid fainting is to massage your earlobes. To do this, you need to press and massage the ears with your fingertips.

Usually a person loses consciousness for a few seconds. But even this indicates the appearance of health problems or malfunctions in the body. It is best to call an ambulance or consult a doctor yourself. He will prescribe certain tests, based on the results of which we can draw a conclusion about the state of the body.

If the duration of fainting is about 5 minutes, then this is a serious case that indicates health problems and requires urgent treatment. Under no circumstances should you delay visiting a doctor, otherwise complications may develop that will require long-term treatment.

Rehabilitation after fainting

To stabilize the functioning of blood flow in the brain, the victim should lie still for another half hour in a calm state. The condition after fainting should return to normal. To avoid dizziness, let in fresh air. If this is not possible, then gently lift the person. When walking, the patient should be supported, not allowed to undergo physical stress, and sudden movements should be avoided. When such an opportunity arises, it is necessary to undergo examination by a doctor and find out the cause of the illness.

If the loss of consciousness lasted less than a minute and did not have threatening symptoms (they are listed in the paragraph on calling an ambulance), there is nothing to worry about. You just need to slow down a little, relax, and your body will quickly recover.

However, there are conditions in which you should definitely consult a doctor. You should schedule a visit to a therapist if:

• fainting accompanied by a blow to the head;
• this is the second or more loss of consciousness in the last month;
• a pregnant woman or a person with any cardiovascular diagnosis lost consciousness.

The doctor will conduct an examination and, if necessary, prescribe tests that will help rule out unpleasant diseases.

In situations where the cause of fainting is not obvious, or loss of consciousness has occurred more than once, you should contact your physician for a full examination.

The doctor should initially prescribe the following examinations:

• Blood test, including sugar and hemoglobin.
• Cardiogram.
• Fluorography.

Depending on the test results, you should be referred to specialized specialists: a cardiologist, neurologist or endocrinologist.

Causes of loss of consciousness

Single episodes of fainting usually do not indicate any danger, and can happen to anyone. This often happens to people of fine mental organization due to excessive anxiety or nervous strain. Those who suffer from various types of phobias and panic attacks may lose consciousness at the slightest impulse reminiscent of the object of fear (the sight of a needle or blood).

Physical exercise

Fainting can occur from intense sports activities, for example, during fast or long runs, squats, or lifting loads. For people suffering from pressure surges, such a nuisance is possible when suddenly rising from bed or throwing back their head (in the dentist's chair or in the hairdresser).

Prevention

It is necessary to lead a healthy lifestyle. Maintain a work-rest schedule to avoid overwork.

Moderate exercise and long walks in the fresh air are recommended.

Quitting bad habits (smoking, alcohol, overeating). Balanced diet. It is necessary to avoid neuropsychic overstrain. Treat diseases in a timely manner, as advanced disease can lead to various complications. People suffering from diabetes need to constantly monitor their sugar levels. Hypotonics (people with low blood pressure) should constantly monitor their blood pressure. When taking medications, always follow the dosage, time and quantity of administration. Try to avoid overheating and hypothermia.

Why is fainting dangerous?

In most cases, fainting ends without serious consequences. But there are also dangers (if a person loses consciousness, he cannot control himself):

• you can fall and get varying degrees of injury;
• if fainting was preceded by vomiting, then care must be taken to ensure that the person does not choke on the vomit;
• if the person was at work where there could be a threat to life (driving, at height, in water);
• cardiac and respiratory arrest may occur;
• Frequent fainting is a reason to consult a doctor to identify the cause of fainting. They may be based on a serious illness;
• Fainting associated with cardiac pathology is dangerous, as it can lead to death.

What types of fainting can occur?

Fainting can be of the following types:

• neurogenic (arise as a result of a disorder of the autonomic nervous system);
• cardiogenic (most often caused by heart pathologies);
• cerebral (they are based on impaired cerebral circulation, atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels).