Fainting

Heat exposure is just one of the triggering factors to fainting. Those high noon walks at the beach expose you to the heat of the afternoon sun. Fainting begins and may be aggravated by dehydration. You may feel lightheaded, sweaty, and with blurred vision. These symptoms herald a fainting spell.

Fainting is medically referred to as syncope. Fainting results to a drop in blood pressure; resulting to reduce circulation to the brain, slowed heart rate, and finally leading to a transient loss of consciousness. In many instances, fainting or syncope is usually harmless and requires no treatment. However, if it happens, you may want to see your doctor who will recommend tests to rule out more serious causes of fainting such as heart conditions.

Recovery from an ordinary or benign fainting spell begins in less than a minute. If you just had one, don’t try to stand up too soon, for if you do, you’re at risk of fainting again.

What are other triggers to fainting?

Intense emotional anxiety, fear and pain can trigger hyperventilation. You begin to breathe too quickly and you take in too much oxygen and get rid of too much carbon dioxide too quickly. These process results to decreased oxygen to the brain, leading to a fainting spell.

Diabetes, alcoholism, malnutrition and dehydration are conditions that interfere with the normal functioning of the nervous system. If you’re taking high blood pressure medicines, you may be more likely to suffer from fainting.

Heart conditions, such as heart block and rhythm problems (irregular heart beat or arrhythmia), lung problems and blood clot in the lungs, and heart valve problems interfere with blood flow to the brain and more likely to cause syncope or fainting.

Sudden change of position, such as when you try to move from lying down or sitting to a standing position: This causes a sudden drop in blood pressure (postural hypotension) and may be severe enough to cause fainting.

Other causes: Too much straining during bowel movement, straining during urination (micturition syncope), intense coughing (cough syncope), stretch syncope happens after stretching the neck and arms, and when the mouth is swollen and painful, a nerve that stimulates the tongue may trigger fainting (glossopharyngeal neuralgia).

The moral of the story: Fainting can be a sign of a more serious condition, such as a heart or brain disorder. See your doctor after a fainting spell, most especially if you never had one before.