syncope - Fainting Symptoms, Causes and management

Syncope is transient, short-term, self-limited loss of consciousness due to acute impairment of cerebral blood flow. decrease in blood flow to the brain, typically from low blood pressure.
Characteristics of syncope.
The onset of syncope is rapid, duration is brief and recovery is spontaneous and full.
Syncope is also known as fainting or passing out.
Sometimes some prodromal symptoms occur before loss of consciousness.
This condition is called presyncope. Presyncope symptoms are:
lightheadedness, sweating, pale skin, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, or feeling warm.
Although sometimes loss of consciousness can occur without any warning signs.
Loss of consciousness is not always caused by syncope. And differential diagnoses always should be made between syncope and other, more serious conditions like: seizures, hypoglycemia, and hypoxemia.
Causes of syncope can be categorized in three main categories:
Vasovagal Syncope; Second; Orthostatic hypotension and Third; Cardiac Syncope.
Vasovagal syncope also called neurally mediated or reflex syncope.
Neurally mediated syncope occurs when blood vessels expand and the heart rate decreases inappropriately.
Such kind of reaction can happen during stress-related situations. Triggers can be: exposure to blood, pain, and strong feelings.
Part of neutally mediated syncope is situational syncope. Such episodes happen during specific situations such as: urination, vomiting and coughing.
Neurally mediated syncope may also occur when an area in the neck known as the carotid sinus is pressed.
Orthostatic hypotension is due to a drop in blood pressure when changing position such as when standing up. It happens because homeostatic reflexes are chronically impaired.
Orthostatic hypotension can be associated with bleeding, dehydration, or significant infection.
Heart-related syncope:
causes may include an abnormal heart rhythm, problems with the heart valves or heart muscle, pulmonary embolism or aortic dissection. This is most serious type of syncope but occurs less often.
Only 10 % of syncopes are caused by cardiac problems.
Ventricular tachycardia can cause syncope, and also can cause death, so, in syncope diagnostic ECG has big role. It can define cardiac causes of syncope.
Supraventricular tachycardia does not cause syncope except in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
Generally, Syncope is a common condition, around a third of medical students describe at least one syncope in their life.
Risk of syncope increased with age, and its more common among women.
Management of syncope focuses on treating the underlying cause.
Management For neurally mediated syncope is: patient education and avoidance of provocative stimuli.
Intake of fluid and salt is also effective.
Counterpressure maneuvers are effective during the existence of long prodrome, to avoid or delay the onset of syncope.
Such maneuvers include: gripping fingers into a fist, tensing the arms, and crossing the legs or squeezing the thighs together

Recommended acute treatment of vasovagal and orthostatic syncope involves returning blood to the brain by positioning the person on the ground, with legs slightly elevated or sitting leaning forward and the head between the knees for at least 10–15 minutes, preferably in a cool and quiet place.

[tinyking]

I’ve had this happen to me twice. It’s very scary to go through. I’m nauseous at first then I feel like I can’t breathe then I pass out. Thank God my friends were around both times & they called 911.

[shaunasugar]

I’ve had several events of presyncope occur throughout my life since I was a teenager but only one of them was followed by loss of consciousness. The only thing that ever helped me feel better with the onset of symptoms was to lay down flat on the ground and try to steady my breathing. It then would pass after a bit. I also remember having a migraine with one of these events but the migraine didn’t occur every time it happened. I still have no official diagnosis but one of my siblings has been diagnosed with epilepsy where she gets aura seizures and fully loses consciousness.

[theOmKumar]

Tips for Managing Vasovagal Response:

Stay Hydrated:

Ensure adequate fluid intake, especially in hot weather, to prevent dehydration, a common trigger for vasovagal responses.

Avoid Prolonged Standing:If possible, avoid standing for extended periods.

If unavoidable, periodically tighten thigh, glute, and abdomen muscles. Additionally, clench your fists and toes to promote blood circulation.

Controlled Breathing:

Practice controlled breathing to help manage stress and maintain composure.

Inhale deeply for 4 seconds.
Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
Exhale slowly for 4 seconds.

[rainb]

I hate this feeling while working in the office coz I know I might create some embarassing moments and it did thrice!!!

[nismalmodia]

I just experience this after my visit to gyn. After transvaginal ultrasound i felt lightheaded, sweating, vomitting, blurred vision. The gyn said its the first time they find this cases.

[Wesley]

I’m 30 and had vasovagal syncophy from “digestive pain” about 5 times. Scary because sometimes you can fight against losing consciousness by laying down / taking off your shirt. Sometimes i will just drop when the pain is overwhelming.

[joeynarciso]

Cannot even begin to count my full syncopal experiences from about age 12 through age 68. In fact, I was just trying to count up how many states this has occurred in! I feel a bit fortunate in that my last full episode has not occurred since 10/18 in my bathroom on a linoleum floor (please don't have any tile in your house!). However, since I tore my sacrotuberous ligament then while passing out backwards on that relatively soft surface, i did then end up w/c bound in my carpeted bedroom from that x 2+ months so no fun anyway. I've heard reports of so many folks who pass out forwards and smash facial bones and such. Ouch!

[amraboughazala]

I am a man and it happened to me. Never happened to mom or sister. Happened my friend who is also a man.

[Abhinavji-ltse]

Sir i just fainted on my roof doing yoga and hit the ground by my back part of my head i got numb for 5-6 second and forget whatever I'm doing on that time before fainting i have a chat with my friend i forgot that to after fainting i feel like vomiting and nausea and slight sensations on my head not feeling the pain i got CT scan and MRI but nothing is found

[dagsgaming]

This trigerred to me when I get wounded or someone wounded in front of me.

[elliemarshall]

I have a question: I have low blood pressure pretty much all the time, causing me to feel very dizzy, and sometimes makes me faint. My mom also has this, but she’s a doctor and says it’s no big deal. Currently, I just take electrolytes, but should I check with my doctor to see if anything is up?