Why does one faint? Know some potential causes
Syncope, which is commonly known as fainting, is a sudden loss of consciousness and posture. It happens when your brain does not get enough oxygen owing to the decreased blood flow. A person may faint for a few seconds to a couple of minutes. The best neurosurgeon doctor in Indore suggests that this can happen due to a variety of reasons. It can also be an indication of a serious health condition, however, one thing, to keep in mind, is that fainting does not necessarily mean that there is an underlying problem as even a perfectly healthy person may faint sometimes due to exhaustion. Therefore, it is important to treat every case of fainting as an emergency till the reason behind it is uncovered and the problem is treated.
Discussed below are some causes of fainting, as listed by the experts from the best hospital for neurology treatment in Indore.
● Neurocardiogenic syncope:
It is a defect in the autonomic nervous system, commonly known as ANS malfunction, that causes the brain to develop neurocardiogenic syncope. It is also known as NMS which stands for naturally mediated syncope. The ANS acts largely unconsciously and controls automatic body functions like heart rate, digestion, and respiration rate.
In NMS, the brain's blood and oxygen supply are temporarily interrupted due to a drop in blood pressure that slows the heartbeat and pulse rate.
NMS can be triggered by various reasons like an unpleasant or shocking image, such as seeing blood. Sudden exposure to an unpleasant sight or experience can also cause NMS. Abrupt emotional trauma like receiving tragic news, extreme embarrassment, standing still for a long time, being in a hot environment for a long time, can all cause NMS.
● Occupational syncope:
Occupational syncope, which is also known as situational syncope, is a type of neurocardiogenic syncope. It happens because of physical triggers like laughing or swallowing, passing stools or urine, coughing or sneezing and overexertion.
● Orthostatic hypotension:
Orthostatic hypotension happens when you faint after standing up too quickly from a seating position or from lying down. The reason behind this is low blood pressure caused due to standing too quickly as gravity pulls blood into the legs.
There are various reasons that trigger this and they are:
1. Dehydration: Body fluid levels and blood pressure go hand in hand, which means if one is low on fluid intake, their blood pressure will also be low resulting in less blood and oxygen supply to the brain.
2. Diabetes: A person with diabetes urinates frequently which can cause dehydration leading to a drop in blood and oxygen supply in the brain.
3. Alcohol consumption: Consuming large amounts of alcohol can also dehydrate you.
4. Taking certain medications: Taking certain medications like diuretics, beta-blockers, and antihypertensive drugs can also cause orthostatic hypotension in some people.
5. Carotid sinus syndrome: When there is pressure on the pressure sensors in the carotid artery, the main artery that supplies blood to the brain, it can cause fainting. If one has a serious case of the carotid sinus, blood pressure may drop at the sudden movement of the head from one side to another side, resulting in fainting.
● Cardiac syncope
Conditions like arrhythmias(irregular heartbeat), stenosis(blockage of the heart valves), high blood pressure and heart attack may reduce blood and oxygen supply to the brain. All these calls for the need for immediate medical attention.
It is very difficult to figure out the cause of fainting on your own thus it is advised to take every case of fainting as an emergency. The reason behind fainting could be a very serious one or it could be nothing major, thus taking expert advice is recommended in such cases. So that if there's a serious underlying problem, it can get treated at the earliest. Treatment for all kinds of syncope is offered at the best hospital in Indore.

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