health

1. Definition .
   
2. What Is Fainting?
3. What Causes Fainting?
4. What Happens When People Faint?

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Fainting is a brief loss of consciousness caused by a temporary drop in blood
flow to the brain.

Marie Osmond Passes Out

One minute, Marie Osmond was finishing a performance with her partner
on the television show Dancing with the Stars and waiting for their scores
from the judges. The next minute, she was peering up at the concerned
faces of her dance partner and the show’s host. She had just had a fainting
spell, and this was not her first. The 2007 incident made the news because
it happened on live TV to a famous person, but fainting is common.
As often happens with people who experience fainting spells, Osmond
recovered within minutes and had no lasting effects from the incident.

Fainting, also known as syncope (SING-ko-pee), is a brief loss of consciousness
caused by a temporary drop in the flow of oxygen-carrying
blood to the brain. Without enough oxygen, brain processes slow down,
and the person may pass out briefly. The sudden drop in blood flow can
occur for several reasons, including an irregular heart rate or rhythm, a
dip in blood pressure, or the pooling of blood in the legs usually after a
prolonged period of standing. Although fainting can be scary and embarrassing,
it usually is not a cause for panic. Healthy people sometimes faint
when they are extremely tired, get bad news, or see something upsetting.
In other cases, however, fainting may be a sign of a more serious medical
condition.

One in three people faint occasionally. The problem occurs in people
of all ages, although it is most common in people over 65 years of age.
Fainting has many possible causes. Some of the more frequent ones are
described below.

Heart disorders
The most serious causes of fainting usually involve
the heart or blood vessels. In some cases, the heart beats too fast or with
an irregular rhythm, reducing the amount of blood it pumps. In other
cases, individuals may have a narrowing of the valve that lets blood out of
the heart or a partial blockage of the blood vessels that carry blood to the
head, limiting blood flow to the brain.

Emotional stress
Stress, fright, or sudden pain can arouse the nervous
system, which, in turn, can signal the heart to slow down or the blood
vessels to widen. If such changes happen too quickly a person’s blood
pressure can drop suddenly, which reduces blood flow to the brain, and
the person may faint.

Heavy sweating
Sweat contains sodium, a mineral that plays a key
role in blood pressure control. Heavy sweating is another possible cause of
a sudden dip in blood pressure. People who take part in strenuous physical
activities under hot, humid conditions may experience this problem.

Standing up quickly
When most people stand up, the nervous system*
triggers a reflex response that increases the heart rate and blood pressure.
This response insures that enough blood gets to the brain. In some people,
particularly the elderly, these responses may not occur fast enough. Blood
may pool in the legs. When too little blood reaches the brain, the person
may faint.

Symptoms
Some people simply lose consciousness and slump down
without warning. However, many people feel dizzy, lightheaded, or sick
to their stomach just before they faint. They may become sweaty and
pale, and they may have a graying out of vision. By definition, a faint
does not last long. Falling down locates the head at the same level as the
heart. This position helps restore blood flow to the brain. The person
soon regains consciousness, usually within a minute or so.

Treatment
A person who is feeling faint should lie down immediately
and not try to stand or walk. If the person who faints does not regain consciousness
within a minute or two, someone must get emergency medical
help for that person. While awaiting emergency help, adult bystanders
probably will elevate the legs of the person who has fainted; loosen belts,
collars, or tight clothing; and check that the person’s airway remains
open, as people who faint may vomit as well. They will not move the
person who has fainted until medical help arrives, because the fall may
have injured the person.
The person who has fainted probably will regain consciousness quickly
but may continue to feel a bit weak for a little while. To prevent fainting
again, the person should continue lying down for a few minutes.
Even when people recover promptly, they should contact their doctors
about a first fainting attack, about repeated fainting spells, or about other
possible symptoms, including irregular heartbeat, chest pain, shortness of
breath, blurred vision, confusion, or trouble talking.