In classical literature, there is often a mention of how ladies faint as a result of compression of the corset or excessive excitement. Sensual parenting and clothing that impedes breathing are a thing of the past. But fainting still happens to people today. What is the reason for this phenomenon? How to recognize pre-fainting conditions in a timely manner? What measures should be taken?
What is fainting?
In medical parlance, this condition is called syncope. People usually say “fainting” or “loss of consciousness”. This phenomenon is most often observed as a result of a short-term disruption of oxygen supply to the brain.
Fainting is not always a harbinger of serious illness. However, if a person loses consciousness quite often, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Only a doctor can identify the causes of discomfort and promptly select treatment.
Any loss of consciousness is preceded by presyncope. It is very important to be able to recognize them. After all, timely measures will help avoid fainting.
Mechanism of the phenomenon
First of all, you need to figure out whether the fear of losing consciousness during a panic attack is justified in medicine. The answer will not be clear. During an outburst of fear or anger, the body releases a large amount of adrenaline, as a result of which a person’s blood pressure rises and the pulse quickens. The body subconsciously tunes in to fight and mobilizes its strength.
Consciousness turns off when the pressure makes a sharp jump down. It follows from this that it is impossible to faint during an adrenaline rush. But similar symptoms are likely:
- blurred vision;
- loss of ground underfoot;
- instability;
- feeling like you are in a dream.
The patient may feel like he is about to faint, but in reality this is unlikely to happen.
Another question is if such a danger really exists. This can happen if we are talking about a patient with vegetative-vascular dystonia. Sometimes sudden movement or fast walking can cause a dystonic person to lose consciousness. Another possible reason is a sharp decrease in blood pressure or lack of oxygen, in which the brain begins to save energy and “shuts down” to protect itself. Since we are talking about loss of consciousness from fear, and not about fainting as such, in this case we will consider a case of a panic attack with hyperventilation syndrome.
Causes of loss of consciousness
According to statistics, fainting occurs in almost a third of the population. In this case, most often it is women who experience pre-fainting.
The causes of loss of consciousness can be different. Doctors divide them into 3 groups:
- Neurogenic. Triggered by vascular pathologies or disorders in the nervous system.
- Somatogenic. Arising as a result of various organ pathologies.
- Psychogenic. Caused by mental disorders.
Neurogenic fainting is based on a sharp change in pressure. It can be observed both in young people (after suffering stress) and in older people (during sudden movements). Doctors believe that the following reasons can provoke a fainting state:
- severe stress;
- fright;
- the unpleasant sight of an accident or blood;
- stuffiness;
- sharp pain;
- extreme heat;
- standing on your feet for a long time;
- a tightly tied tie;
- sudden movements;
- pathologies affecting peripheral nerves (diabetes mellitus, anemia, large blood loss, alcoholism);
- long bed rest;
- use of certain medications (nitrates, vasodilators).
Somatogenic fainting is provoked by poor functioning of the heart. A disruption in the rhythm of this organ leads to disruption of the blood supply to the brain. Most often, presyncope is caused by the following reasons:
- cardiac tamponade;
- atrial fibrillation;
- ventricular tachycardia.
To this day, psychogenic fainting is the topic of the most heated debate regarding their inclusion in the neurological classification. Most doctors are confident that such loss of consciousness is nothing more than a simulation.
Such phenomena are characterized by prolonged pre-fainting states. They are accompanied by a feeling of increasing weakness, lack of air, anxiety, and fear. An alternation of loss of consciousness and recovery is often observed.
Characteristic symptoms
Any fainting develops very quickly. As a rule, harbingers of an unpleasant condition appear 15-60 seconds before loss of consciousness. At this time, the person experiences a pre-fainting state. His symptoms are as follows:
- the appearance of severe weakness, a feeling of lightheadedness;
- sometimes there is an irresistible yawning;
- heart rate increases;
- dizziness occurs;
- it gets dark in the eyes, spots and circles flash;
- ringing in the ears;
- a strong pulsation is felt in the temples;
- sudden cold sweat appears;
- a rush of heat is felt, accompanied by thread-like rapid pulses;
- or sharp pallor and an unfilled, rare pulse;
- nausea appears;
- my legs begin to give way.
What happens next?
People who have already experienced a fainting state accurately identify symptoms indicating loss of consciousness. Such signs and increasing weakness cause a strong desire to lie down. In the absence of such an opportunity, the person begins to sag, after which fainting occurs.
In this condition, the patient experiences:
- decreased breathing rate;
- weak pulse;
- lack of pupillary reaction to light;
- slight cramps and involuntary urination (in case of prolonged fainting).
It is extremely rare that loss of consciousness occurs suddenly. Most often, the above harbingers indicate the development of an unpleasant situation.
It should be recalled once again that the pre-fainting state is quite short-lived. What to do in this case? And how to prevent loss of consciousness in such a short period of time?
Something about "saving drowning people"
The rescue of drowning people, as is known, is the work of the drowning people themselves. If you begin to notice a bad habit of repeated fainting, you will need to pay attention to this. First of all, be examined by a neurologist and cardiologist to exclude diseases of the nervous system (such as convulsive syndrome, long-term consequences of traumatic brain injury) and heart diseases (heart rhythm disturbances, undiagnosed heart disease, etc.) You will have to avoid stuffy rooms and long stays in Sun. If this cannot be avoided, at least try to stay hydrated by drinking more fluids (but not soda water).
quite often , reasons
, which is preceded by a short period of precursors: “feeling”, weakness, nausea. If you feel this, do not wait for further developments, take action immediately (even if it later turns out that your new colleague made you sick). You need to immediately lie down or sit down (and if you sit down, do so with maximum comfort, with maximum relaxation). Let me remind you that the more horizontal your body is, the better. You cannot throw your head back if you are sitting. You can take a few deep, but always slow, breaths. You can carry cotton wool with ammonia in a tube for nitroglycerin or validol. Do not put any medicines in your mouth! You may lose consciousness at any moment, and the tablet may end up in your mouth at that moment and, after relaxing the muscles of your tongue and pharynx, fly into your windpipe. Finally, you can simply increase the flow of oxygen by unfastening or loosening a tight collar or belt.
Of course, in a short article it is impossible to cover all the nuances of fainting, the causes
this rather complex medical problem. But I still hope that these simple tips will help make life easier for someone. Still, whatever you say, fainting is an everyday thing...
13.06.2017
An unconscious state when a person's cerebral circulation is temporarily disrupted is called fainting. Such an attack can happen to anyone, because... has many causes: from fatigue to heavy bleeding. It is always accompanied by a pre-fainting state: the person becomes ill, dizzy, the heartbeat quickens, he feels nauseous and shivering. If the position is not changed in time, loss of consciousness will occur.
The duration of the condition is about one to two minutes. Sometimes it reaches 5, but then fainting is accompanied by other symptoms: involuntary urination, convulsions. First aid should be provided to a person the minute he loses consciousness. After this, you can call doctors or wait until the patient comes to his senses. Full treatment may only be required for those whose pathology is caused by diseases or some pathologies.
First aid
So, what should you do if a person next to you loses consciousness? The most important thing is not to worry and calm down! And then you need to act. After all, only properly organized events can help.
First aid for loss of consciousness includes the following:
- Lay the victim on a flat surface. To do this, use a table, floor or bench. Place a chair, books, pillows under the patient's feet. They must be above the body and head. This action will help prevent fainting. Because it will provide blood flow to the head.
- The victim needs fresh air. If the patient is indoors, be sure to open the window.
- Fainting is often accompanied by vomiting. To prevent masses from entering the respiratory tract, the patient’s head must be turned to the side.
- Unfasten items of clothing that impede breathing - collar, belt.
- Check the victim's pulse. If palpation is poor, call a doctor immediately.
- To bring the patient to his senses, use ammonia. Soak a swab in it and bring it to the patient’s nose at a distance of 1-2 cm.
- If you don't have alcohol on hand, wipe the victim's face with a damp cloth. You can sprinkle with cool water.
- Be sure to call an ambulance. Even if the patient came to his senses quite quickly.
It is not recommended to get up immediately after fainting. First you need to sit down. And you can try to get up only 10-30 minutes after fainting. However, if the victim experiences dizziness, it is necessary to lie down again.
Consequences of headache
Every person needs to closely monitor their own health. And an ally in this is a headache, which signals disorders in the body. If you ignore this symptom, the result may be the development of a serious disease. Is it better to diagnose at an early stage than to wait for the situation to worsen?
In addition, a common consequence of headaches is a decrease in quality of life. Regular attacks prevent a person from thinking normally and performing everyday tasks. Sometimes it’s worth taking a pill, but not every medicine will help: first you need to establish the exact cause, and only doctors can do this.
The doctor's consultation
After first aid is provided for loss of consciousness, the patient should consult a doctor. This will help determine the cause of this condition and prevent recurrences.
As a rule, the doctor prescribes the following examinations:
- electrocardiogram;
- echocardiogram;
- electroencephalography;
- glucose tolerance test;
- angiography of cerebral vessels.
If necessary, the patient is sent for consultation to:
- endocrinologist;
- cardiologist;
- oncologist.
Treatment depends on the cause of the disease. In most cases, no special therapy is required. Doctors say that most often a person needs:
- rest;
- getting rid of tight clothes;
- proper nutrition.
Some patients are recommended to take beta blockers (medicines that help improve the tone of blood vessels) and increase sodium in the diet. If there is a feeling of fear of a second attack, the patient is referred for consultation to a psychotherapist.
5. Migraine attacks as a cause of severe headaches
One of the main symptoms of migraine is headache of varying intensity. It can be unilateral, bilateral, dull or pulsating.
There are several theories about migraine. The most common: genetic theory, vascular theory (deterioration of blood flow in the brain), neurological disorders, metabolic disorders.
The diagnosis of migraine should be made by a medical specialist, excluding diseases that are amenable to standard drug treatment.
Head pain associated with migraine can be described by the following symptoms:
- At least five attacks
- Throbbing pain
- Medium to high intensity
- Increases with physical activity
- May be accompanied by nausea, vomiting
- No connections with other diseases were found during the examination.
Loss of consciousness during pregnancy
Fainting and dizziness are the earliest and most well-known signs of a delicate condition. To avoid endangering their baby, expectant mothers need to learn to recognize symptoms indicating loss of consciousness.
Presyncope during pregnancy has a number of symptoms:
- noise in ears;
- blurred vision;
- dizziness;
- feeling of weakness in the legs;
- cold sweat;
- numbness of the limbs;
- general weakness;
- nausea;
- pulsation in temples;
- paleness.
Such conditions in the expectant mother can be caused by the following reasons:
- low pressure;
- low blood sugar;
- body overheating;
- stale air;
- pressure on the vessels of the uterus;
- anemia;
- diabetes;
- pathologies of the heart and blood vessels;
- stress and overwork;
- long standing position;
- physical exercise;
- sudden change in body position;
- viral infection;
- strong odors.
Some women may experience frequent fainting as a result of an ectopic pregnancy or placental bleeding. Therefore, if the expectant mother is confused by any symptoms, be sure to tell your doctor about them.
Features of manifestation
Symptoms such as cloudiness, dizziness, heaviness, a feeling as if the head is in a fog, can accompany a person constantly or appear several times a week.
This condition does not always mean that a person has any disease. Often these signs arise due to the influence of certain factors: changes in weather conditions, excessive physical exertion, lack of sleep, mental work, etc.
The main feature of the brain fog symptom is its sudden appearance. So, a person who felt good a minute ago, almost in an instant feels discomfort, fogginess, dizziness, blurred vision, dullness of consciousness.
The problem is that these symptoms can appear in the workplace or while performing an important task. Due to this, a person is deprived of the opportunity to carry out usual activities.
Brain fog is often accompanied by various symptoms:
- increased or decreased blood pressure;
- drowsiness during the day and sleep disturbance at night;
- weakness;
- headache;
- strong heartbeat;
- excessive sweating, etc.
Often this picture is accompanied by a feeling of unreasonable fear, a feeling of lack of air, and the appearance of a ringing in the head. There are many reasons for this condition.
What to do?
The rules for providing first aid to pregnant women are no different from those described above. After the woman regains consciousness, it is recommended that she be given sweet tea with lemon, eat something and be sure to lie down.
Doctors say that most often pregnant women need to increase their low blood pressure to normal. Fainting is usually caused by hypotension. For this you can use infusions and decoctions:
- rosehip;
- St. John's wort;
- juniper;
- strawberries;
- yarrow.
The treating doctor will recommend oxygen therapy if necessary. Various physiotherapy procedures can be prescribed that can normalize blood pressure.
