Do you also suddenly faint and lose consciousness? Let's learn everything about syncope in a simple way!

Imagine you are in the morning assembly at school, or you are stuck in a crowd on the bus. Suddenly your eyes go blue, your ears feel like the whole world is shutting down, you sweat, your body gets cold and you fall to the ground. When you wake up after a while, everyone is staring at you. Have you ever had this experience? Or have you seen someone do it? Today we are talking about this common condition that many people experience, which is fainting and loss of consciousness, which in medical terms is called 'syncope'.

Simply put, what is syncope?

Fainting, or loss of consciousness, is a sudden, temporary decrease in the blood supply to our brain . Just like the lights in our house suddenly go 'dim', when the blood flow to the brain decreases slightly, we lose consciousness for a short time.

But this usually only lasts a few seconds or minutes. After you regain consciousness, you may feel a little confused and tired. But you will be back to normal within a few hours.

What signs does your body give you before fainting?

Most of the time, you don't lose consciousness suddenly. Your body gives you several warning signs before it happens. You can be careful as soon as you feel these symptoms.

Why do we feel dizzy? What are the main causes?

There can be many reasons for fainting. Let's break them down into a few main types.

1. Reflex Syncope: The most common and least dangerous type

This is the most common type. It occurs when our nervous system "overreacts" to certain things. In this case, our heart rate and blood pressure suddenly drop.

Things that can cause this:

• Vasovagal Syncope: This is the most common.
• The fear that arises when seeing blood or getting an injection.
• A sudden extreme shock, sadness, or fear.
• Standing in the same position for a long time (e.g., during morning assembly, while in a queue).
• When you laugh hard, when you cough.
• Situational Syncope: Things that only happen in certain situations.
• When you cough loudly, as if by force.
• Straining when urinating or defecating.
• When lifting a load.

2. Orthostatic Syncope: What happens when you change position

This is also very common. Do you remember when you suddenly got up from a long stretch in bed and your eyes turned blue and you felt dizzy? That's what it is. When we change positions, especially when we stand up, our blood pressure suddenly drops. This is called 'Postural Hypotension' in medical terms.

Things that can cause this:

• Drinking less water and fluids (dehydration).
• Some blood pressure medications .
• Some medical conditions like Diabetes Mellitus.
• This condition becomes more common with age.

3. Cardiac Syncope: The most dangerous type of fainting caused by heart disease

This is the most dangerous type we should pay attention to. Here, the fainting is caused by a serious problem with the heart or blood vessels. This condition occurs when there is a problem with the heart pumping blood to the brain.

Things that can cause this:

• Heartbeat irregularities (Arrhythmia) . A sudden increase or decrease in the rate of the heart beat.
• Heart valve diseases.
• Heart attack or heart failure .
• A blood clot that travels to the lungs (Pulmonary Embolism) .

How do you find this, Doctor?

If you faint, the doctor will ask you a lot of questions to figure out what type of fainting you have.

• Details of the incident: What happened before you fainted? Where were you? What were you doing?
• Medical history: They will ask about other illnesses you have and the medications you are taking.
• Family history: Ask if anyone in the family has heart disease.

Then you will be examined and, if necessary, asked to undergo several tests like this.

What should we do if someone faints and falls?

If someone faints and falls in front of you, don't panic and do these things.

1. Check for breathing: First check to see if the person is breathing. If not, call an ambulance immediately.

2. Lay the person down: Carefully lay the person down on the ground.

3. Elevate the legs: Place a pillow or bag on the person's legs and elevate them slightly above their heart. This increases blood flow to the brain.

4. Loosen tight clothing: If you have tight clothing like a collar or belt, loosen them.

5. After regaining consciousness: Do not get up immediately after regaining consciousness. Let the person sit or lie down for at least 10-15 minutes. Then give them some water to drink.

Can fainting be prevented?

Yes, most of the time it is possible. Treatment depends on the cause of your dizziness.

• Lifestyle changes:
• Drink plenty of water and fluids.
• Eat meals on time without skipping meals.
• Avoid standing in one place for long periods of time. If you have to stand, keep moving your legs and wiggling your toes.
• When getting out of bed or a chair, do not get up suddenly, but slowly.
• Only add a little more salt to your food if your doctor advises you to.
• If you feel faint:
• Sit down or lie down immediately. This is the most important thing. This will eliminate the risk of falling and injuring your head.
• Cross your legs and tighten them (leg crossing).
• Clenching your hands together (hand gripping) can slightly increase your blood pressure.
• Medical treatment:
• If the cause is heart disease, it may require medication or the installation of a device such as a pacemaker .
• Sometimes medications are given to control blood pressure.

Your doctor will explain to you which treatment is best suited to your condition.

Fainting, loss of consciousness, Syncope, Fainting, causes of fainting, treatment of fainting, symptoms of fainting, fainting, vasovagal syncope, orthostatic hypotension, cardiac syncope, fainting first aid