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Posted by on Feb 6, 2015 in TellMeWhy |

What Causes People to Faint?

What Causes People to Faint?

Let’s find out why and what causes people to faint? You could say Fainting is caused by a rapid fall of blood pressure, which results in a shortage of the blood supply to the brain. You lose consciousness for a short time because your brain is not getting enough oxygen.

People may faint because of confinement in a close and poorly ventilated room, or because of severe pain, emotional shock, or for many other reasons. The medical term for fainting is syncope, but it is commonly known as “passing out.”

The cause of syncope is unknown In about one-third of patients. However, an increased risk of syncope is a side effect for some medications.

The fainting person becomes pale, begins to perspire, and then loses consciousness. Fainting usually lasts only a few minutes. If you feel you are about to faint, lie down or bend forward at the waist with your head between your knees. The idea is to try to get more blood to the brain.

Most of the time, fainting is not a cause for concern, but in some cases, it can be a symptom of a serious medical problem. If you have no previous history of fainting, but have fainted more than once in the past month, you should consult with your doctor.

How long after fainting Will I feel better? Most fainting will pass quickly and won’t be serious. Usually, a fainting episode will only last a few seconds. Although it will make the person feel unwell and recovery may take several minutes. If a person doesn’t recover quickly, always seek urgent medical attention. So now we know why and what causes people to faint.

Content for this question contributed by Helen Wiemels, resident of University Heights, USA