First-Aid for Fainting
Fainting is caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain and results in a person falling to the ground with loss of responsiveness. The causes for fainting vary and may include a reaction to emotional stress, hunger, exhaustion, pain or sitting or standing still for an extended time period when hot.
When a person faints the heart rate lowers but rises once again very quickly. A fainting victim usually stays unresponsive for only a couple of minutes. If the person remains unresponsive for longer than that, it’s an indication that something more serious may be taking place.
If a person feels like their going to faint, get them to lie down. Gently help raise their legs to encourage a return of blood flow to the head. When you are holding the legs up, look for signs of recovery on the person’s face. There should be fresh air available so ask anyone close by to move aside and if possible open a nearby window. Once the person is feeling better, gently help them get into a sitting position.
If a person has fainted, loosen any clothing and elevate their legs. Try your best to revive the victim by tapping them briskly and if there is no response call for help immediately. Be prepared to provide emergency assistance for an unresponsive person including CPR. If there is any sign of blood coming out of the person’s mouth or they starts vomiting, quickly roll them onto their side to avoid choking.
A healthcare provider should be called if the person has hit their head when they fainted, has a heart condition, is pregnant, has a serious illness, experiences chest pain, is confused, has difficulty talking, faints often or experiences any other type of unusual symptoms.
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