When your brain will not get enough oxygen, and you feel conscious for a short period, then this condition is called Fainting. It can also happen because of low blood pressure.
The fainting is not for a longer time; it lasts up to a few seconds to a few minutes. The main symptoms which you can feel before fainting are nausea, weakness, dizziness, etc. It is not necessary that you always need treatment for fainting. It can be done because of tiredness and stress so by giving full-body rest you can treat fainting by yourself. If there is some underlying cause of fainting, then you must need treatment.
What Cause People to Faint?
A sudden drop in blood pressure, dehydration, severe pain, and many more can be the causes of fainting in people. The most common reasons are:
- Physical triggers: If you are in place which is overcrowded and poorly ventilated then this will cause fainting. Standing for a long time in the place where no ventilation or packed place can also cause it.
- Emotional stress: Emotional stress can cause fainting like anxiety, depression, overthinking, pain, shock, etc.
- Hyperventilation: In a hyperventilating situation, the person starts breathing at a faster rate, and blood flow decreases, and blood will not reach the brain. So this type of condition can cause fainting.
- Medical conditions: The fainting can be caused due to medical conditions like low levels of blood sugar, anemia, and many more.
- Pregnancy: Pregnancy can be the primary cause to faint as the body undergoes various changes and women can faint due to this.
Types of Fainting
There are common 3 types of fainting:
- Vasovagal syncope: This type of fainting is due to emotional trauma, stress, etc., which trigger the vagus nerve.
- Carotid sinus syncope: This type of fainting can happen when you wear too tight neck constricted clothes and the carotid nerve is the main which affects.
- Situational syncope: This type of fainting can occur due to coughing, health problems like gastrointestinal infection, etc.
How Can I Prevent Fainting?
- Blood sugar and salt levels up – If you feel like you faint usually then add sugar and salt in your diet. The level of sugar and salt should be balanced in the body. This can be done by drinking juice, eating healthy vegetables which are nutritious for the body.
The salt completes the need for dehydration in the body and stays in your blood vessels for maintaining the flow of fluids. This will make you feel better and energetic. Nausea can also be treated by eating sugar and salt. - Keep cool – If you continuously stay in the hot and stuffy environment then you feel dizziness and faint. You need to keep your body and your environment cool. To avoid the feeling of fainting you can drink cold water, stay away from overcrowded areas and place yourself near the window.
- Lie down and don’t stand up quickly – When you start feeling to faint then immediately lie down straight and do not quickly stand up for at least 15 minutes. This will help the flow of blood to the brain and relax your brain. Don’t rush, run, or move fast when you feel a sense of fainting.
- Avoid visualization of anxiety – If you have a feeling of anxiety and stress then go to a peaceful and calm place that relaxes your body and mind. Listen to some soft music, be happy, think about the positive things.
How to Prevent Someone from Fainting?
- Get them to lie down – If you are with someone who feels dizziness and fatigue then let the person lie down he/she was about to faint. By doing this the brain will get proper oxygen. If you are in a place where the person cannot lie down, then let them sit with knees in between their legs. It will save the person who is about to faint.
- Make sure they are in proper ventilation – If you are with someone who is about to faint then take him to the properly ventilated area where airflow is good in a hot and stuffy environment the person can faint. This will relieve the person from suffocation.
- Give something to eat – When someone with you starts feeling nausea or dizziness give them something to eat or drink like juice or crackers so that the blood sugar level of the person increases.
- Help them to stay calm – The person with you is very stressed and anxious as well as feels like about to faint, then help them to stay calm and think positive. This will boost up their mind and relax their body.
How to Prevent Fainting during Periods?
Periods can be one of the reasons for a person to faint as in periods due to heavy blood flow and pain your bloody becomes weak and you feel nausea, stress because of which you can faint. There are some treatments for women of how to prevent fainting during periods:
- Relief pain: During periods if you feel severe pain then use a heating pad or massage your stomach area with warm oil. This will give you relief in pain. If you have a feeling of excessive cramps, then eat ibuprofen medicine or do exercise. This will flow out the blood easily without pain. This will prevent you from fainting and feeling of dizziness or nausea.
- For Anemic women: If you are an anemic woman and doctor prescribed you iron supplements then eat them regularly. During periods anemic women should eat more iron-rich food like spinach, red meat, etc. This will give energy to your body and reduce the feeling of fainting.
- Dehydration: During periods women should drink more water and juices which will hydrate their body and ease the flow of blood. Dehydration makes your body weak, you will feel like vomiting and fainting as well.
How to Prevent Fainting During Pregnancy?
There are steps which every pregnant woman should follow to prevent themselves from fainting or dizziness:
- If you are sitting or lying then don’t stand up quickly, get up slowly without any rush.
- Do not sit or stand in one position for a longer time.
- Don’t go to overcrowded and hot places. Keep yourself in a cool environment.
- Eat proper and regular meals with a balanced diet which will maintain your blood sugar level.
- Don’t avoid drinking fluids. Drink water, juices, and any other fluid more during pregnancy.
- For relaxing your body and refreshing mind do yoga.
- If you feel severe dizziness and nausea, then immediately contact your doctor.
Also read: About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome