Fainting is a temporary loss of consciousness. If you're about to faint, you'll feel dizzy, lightheaded, or nauseous. Your field of vision may "white out" or "black out." Your skin may be cold and clammy. You lose muscle control at the same time, and may fall down.

Fainting usually happens when your blood pressure drops suddenly, causing a decrease in blood flow to your brain. It is more common in older people. Some causes of fainting include

• Heat or dehydration
• Emotional distress
• Standing up too quickly
• Certain medicines
• Drop in blood sugar
• Heart problems

When someone faints, make sure that the airway is clear and check for breathing. The person should stay lying down for 10-15 minutes. Most people recover completely. Fainting is usually nothing to worry about, but it can sometimes be a sign of a serious problem. If you faint, it's important to see your health care provider and find out why it happened.

Syncope is used to describe a loss of consciousness for a short period of time. It can happen when there is a sudden change in the blood flow to the brain. Syncope is usually called fainting or “passing out.”

There are different types of syncope; they depend on the part of the body affected or the cause of blood flow changes. Syncope can also be a symptom of heart disease or other heart problems. It also may show a higher risk for some neurological conditions like neuropathy.

The symptoms of syncope that usually happen before someone loses consciousness include:

• Feeling dizzy
• Feeling lightheaded
• Feeling like they have to vomit
• Vision that becomes unclear or blacks out
• Cold or clammy skin

People who experience syncope may pass out for a minute or two. They will slowly come back to normal. Syncope can happen in healthy people. It affects all ages, but happens most often in seniors.

The first thing to look for is that the person is still breathing after they faint. The individual should lie down for 10 to 15 minutes if they can in a cool, quiet area. If this is not possible, they should sit up with their head between their knees. Sipping on cold water can also help. People tend to recover within a few minutes to a few hours.

Treatment focuses on finding out the causes and trying to avoid passing out. When you start to feel symptoms there are some things you can do to help prevent fainting. For example, try to:

• Make a fist
• Cross your legs
• Squeeze your thighs together
• Tighten the muscles in your arms

Syncope can be life-threatening if it is not treated the right way.

There are many causes of fainting, including:

• tiredness, dehydration, anaemia
• low blood pressure caused by some medicines or health conditions
• orthostatic (postural) hypotension— where your blood pressure drops if you stand up too quickly
• heart attack, stroke or seizure
• low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia) caused by some medicines or health conditions
• emotional stress, anxiety, severe pain, exposure to something unpleasant such as blood
• prolonged standing, laughing or coughing, sneezing, straining on the toilet

Before fainting, it is common to experience some of the following:

• sweating, weakness, dizziness, light-headedness
• shortness of breath
• vision changes, blurred or faded vision, seeing spots or lights
• nausea, vomiting, stomach-ache
• pale face, cool and moist skin
• numbness, tingling
• anxiety, restlessness

When fainting, the person usually falls or slumps over.

You should see a doctor if you:

• have fainted and do not know the cause
• have recently fainted more than once

You may recover quickly after fainting, but even if you do, it's best to visit your doctor to check the cause. Fainting can be the sign of something simple, or of a more serious a medical condition, like a heart or brain disorder.

You should call an ambulance if you or someone near you has fainted and they:

• have severe bleeding or injury
• had irregular heartbeat, chest pains, shortness of breath or palpitations before fainting
• have a severe headache, ongoing blurred vision, slurred speech or feel disoriented
• fainted whilst sitting or lying down, fainted more than once, or took longer than a few minutes to regain consciousness
• have a diagnosed heart condition
• did not feel warning signs beforehand
• are over 60 years old

If you see someone faint and they are unconscious follow DRSABCD:

DRSABCD ACTION PLAN

If they are conscious:

• lay them on their back, raise and support their legs
• loosen tight clothing
• provide fresh air — open a window if possible
• watch their face for signs of recovery
• if they are pregnant, place a pillow under their right bottom to tilt them
• treat any injuries

Do not:

• make them sit with their heads between their legs
• splash their face with water

If you fainted, you should:

• avoid driving or operating machinery until you have discussed your fainting with your doctor
• stay with someone until you feel better

If you’re feeling faint or light-headed, here are some things you can do:

• Lie down with your legs raised higher than your head for 10 minutes, or until the feeling passes.
• Drink water.
• Get some fresh air.

You can try to prevent yourself from fainting:

• Change positions slowly, especially when moving from a lying to a standing position.
• When waking up, sit on the edge of your bed for a few minutes before standing.
• If you’re pregnant, avoid lying on your back. Pressure from your growing uterus (womb) on your major blood vessels may make you feel faint.
• Keep a healthy diet. Have regular meals. Drink plenty of water unless you have been advised not to.
• Avoid triggers that cause you to faint.