What to Do if Someone loses Consciousness

What to Do if Someone loses Consciousness

Someone around you could suddenly faint or lose consciousness, whether you’re at home, on the street, or at work. In these situations, timely and correct first aid can often stop a bad consequence from happening. This is what you need to know:

Signs That You Might Faint

Before passing out, most people display indicators of trouble:

 Skin that is pale

 Feeling sick

 Feeling dizzy

 Too much sweating

 Vision that is blurry

 Ringing in the ears

 Fast breathing or heart rate

 Yawning a lot

If you see these indicators, do something right away:

 Get the person to sit or lie down right away.

 Keep your head a little lower than your heart.

 Lift your legs to get more blood to your brain.

Most of the time, fainting lasts only a few minutes. When you wake up, you might have a headache, feel confused, or be weak, but most of the time, it’s not significant.

Things that make people faint a lot

 Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

 Not getting enough water

 Heat stroke

 Seizures

 Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or a mini-stroke

 Syncope, which is when blood flow to the brain drops

 Standing for too long or too quickly

 Epilepsy

 An imbalance of electrolytes

 Heart attack or irregular heartbeat

 Stroke or bleeding in the brain

 Injury to the head

 A lot of tension or anxiety

 Being drunk on alcohol

 Harmful chemicals

Children can even pass out if anything is lodged in their throat.

Steps for First Aid

 Get the victim away from things that could hurt them, such sharp objects, fire, traffic, and so on.

 Call the police right away.  Have a list of ambulance numbers available.

 Look for chest movement to see if the person is breathing.

 To make it easier to breathe, loosen tight clothes like belts and collars.

 If the victim isn't breathing, start mouth-to-mouth breathing or CPR if you know how.

 Don't get too close to the person.  Make room for air and first responders.

 Put the person on their side to help saliva or vomit drain so they don't choke.

 If the person has diabetes, use a glucometer to check their blood sugar if you have one.

     Give sweet food or drink if the person is responsive and their blood sugar is low.

     Don't offer anything by mouth if the person is unconscious since they could choke.

 If the person is having a seizure:

     Put them on their side.

     Don't give them anything to eat.

     Don't hold them back.

 If you think you could have a stroke or TIA, go to the hospital right once, even if the symptoms go away.

Important: Heatstroke

In the summer, heatstroke is a common reason for fainting, and if you don’t pay attention to it, it might kill you.

How to avoid heatstroke:

 Put on light-colored, loose-fitting cotton garments.

 When it's really hot, stay inside or in the shade.

 When you're outside, wear a cap or use an umbrella.

 Drink a lot of water, saline solution, or fresh juices.

 Don't do a lot of hard work in the heat.

If you see signs of heatstroke:

 Put the person in a cool place

 Use a fan or damp cloths to wipe the body.

 Give fluids if the person is awake.

 Put ice on your neck, underarms, or groin.

 Call a doctor right away

General Advice to Avoid Fainting

 Don't stay in one place for too long, especially in hot or crowded places.

 Check and control your blood pressure and heart rate on a regular basis, and take medicine if you need to.

 Drink enough water and eat a balanced diet.

 Don't drink alcohol; it can make you dehydrated and lower your blood pressure.

 For better circulation and overall health, make sure you exercise on a regular basis.

 Fainting while pregnant can be serious, so get medical treatment right away.

 If someone passes out often or has symptoms like a headache, vomiting, chest discomfort, or trouble breathing, you should transport them to the hospital straight soon.