Tips for Helping a Patient Who Faints

Imagine being with a person who faints abruptly, and you don’t have the right skills to help them. It can be frightening to face an individual who experiences syncope; people faint when blood does not reach the brain leading to poor oxygenation. Fortunately, the person recovers soon after fainting, and you can help them receive enough blood to the brain by laying them on the floor and elevating the feet. You should look for experts in Syncope in Houston who can educate you on ways to help a patient. These fainting prevention tips can help you care for a patient.

Position the Patient on the Back

You should ensure the patient does not have any injuries and is breathing, then raise their legs above the heart level. Twelve inches or 30 centimeters leg elevation would be better as it allows the blood to flow to the upper body parts and the brain. Then loosen the belt and remove tight clothes that may be preventing blood flow to the brain. The person might gain consciousness within a few minutes, and you should encourage them to rest for a bit as they might faint again if they get up too soon. However, if the patient is not conscious after resting on the back, you can call a medical emergency.

Check the Patients Breathe

Although the first thing would be resting the patient on the back, it is better to check their breathing and ensure they have a normal breathing rate. If they have shallow breaths, you might begin CPR and call the local medical emergency number.

Control Bleeding

If the patient fainted due to an injury, you should control the bleeding by applying direct pressure. Too much blood loss makes it impossible to get enough blood flow to the brain, and the patient should find immediate medical care.

When Fainting Becomes a Serious Issue

  •         Fainting is a serious issue if it happens in a short period, you should take your loved one to see a syncope expert if they’ve been fainting often.
  •         One should not faint from a rigorous activity, so if your loved one faints during exercise, it might be a sign of an underlying health problem.
  •         If a person faints when lying down or without warning, it might be a sign of other conditions. People might know when they are about to faint, especially if it is not a serious issue.
  •         If a person faints from losing a lot of blood, they might die due to blood loss and need immediate medical assistance.
  •         Fainting followed by short breath and chest pains could happen due to infections like pneumonia, and one should seek treatment to avoid serious issues in the future
  •         Palpitations that lead to fainting might be a sign of heart problems
  •         Finally, fainting accompanied by tingling, numbness might be life-threatening.

Final Thoughts

If your loved one faints unexpectedly, you might be frightened if you don’t know how to help them. However, you can learn tips to help a patient who faints, as fainting occurs when the blood does not reach the brain. The patient might be conscious after laying on the back and elevating the legs, but you could ask them to seek further medical treatments to treat any underlying medical problems. 

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