Desiree got out of the whirlpool at the gym and was on her way
to the showers when she felt incredibly dizzy. Next thing she knew,
she woke up on the locker room floor with her sister looking over
her anxiously. She was pretty scared - what happened?
Desiree's sister thought she'd probably fainted.
Although Desiree felt like she'd been unconscious for hours,
her sister said she was out for less than a minute. Since Desiree
felt fine and she'd never fainted before, she decided she
didn't need to go to the ER.
When Desiree asked her school nurse about it the next day, she
said Desiree probably fainted because she stayed in the whirlpool
too long or the temperature was set too high, affecting her body
temperature.
Why Do People Faint?
Fainting is pretty common in teens. The good news is that most
of the time it's not a sign of something serious.
When someone faints, it's usually because changes in the
nervous system and circulatory system cause a temporary drop
in the amount of blood reaching the brain. When the brain is robbed
of its blood supply, a person loses consciousness and falls over.
After lying down, a person's head is at the same level as the
heart, which helps restore blood flow to the brain. So the person
usually recovers after a minute or two.
Reasons Why You Might Swoon
Here are some of the reasons why teens faint:
- Physical triggers.
Getting too hot or being in a crowded, poorly ventilated setting
are common causes of fainting in teens. People can also faint
after exercising too much or working out in excessive heat and
not drinking enough fluids (so the body becomes dehydrated).
Fainting can also be triggered by other causes of dehydration, as
well as hunger or exhaustion. Sometimes just standing for a very
long time or getting up too quickly after sitting or lying down
can lead someone to faint.
- Emotional stress.
Emotions like fright, pain, anxiety, or shock can affect the
body's nervous system, causing blood pressure to drop. This
is the reason why people faint when something frightens or
horrifies them, like the sight of blood.
- Hyperventilation.
A person who is hyperventilating is taking fast breaths, which
causes carbon dioxide (CO2) to decrease in the blood. This can
make a person faint. People who are extremely stressed out, in
shock, or have certain anxiety disorders may faint as a result of
hyperventilation.
- Drug use.
Some illegal drugs - such as cocaine or methamphetamine - can
cause fainting (and even a heart attack in some cases). Inhalant
use ("huffing") can lead to fainting by causing
problems with a person's heartbeat. Fainting also is a side
effect of some prescription medications.
- Low blood sugar.
The brain depends on a constant supply of sugar from the blood to
work properly and keep a person awake. People who are taking
insulin shots or other medications for diabetes can develop low
blood sugar and pass out if they take too much medicine or
don't eat enough. Sometimes people without diabetes who are
starving themselves (as with crash dieting) can drop their blood
sugar low enough to faint.
- Anemia.
A person with anemia has fewer red blood cells than normal, which
decreases the amount of oxygen delivered to the brain and other
tissues. Girls who have heavy periods or people with
iron-deficiency anemia for other reasons (like not getting enough
iron in their diet) may be more likely to faint.
- Pregnancy.
During pregnancy the body normally undergoes a lot of changes,
including changes in the circulatory system, which can cause a
woman to faint. In addition, the body's fluid requirements
are increased, so pregnant women may faint if they aren't
drinking enough. And as the uterus grows it can press on and
partially block blood flow through large blood vessels, which can
decrease blood supply to the brain.
- Eating disorders.
People with anorexia or bulimia may faint for a number of
reasons, including dehydration, low blood sugar, and changes in
blood pressure or circulation caused by starvation, vomiting, or
overexercising.
- Cardiac problems.
An abnormal heartbeat and other heart problems can cause a person
to faint. If someone is fainting a lot, especially during
exercise or exertion, doctors may suspect heart problems and run
tests to look for a heart condition.
Some medical conditions - like seizures or a rare type of
migraine headache - can cause people to seem like they are
fainting. But they're not the same thing as fainting and are
handled differently.
Can You Prevent Fainting?
Some people feel dizzy immediately before they faint. They may
also notice changes in vision (such as tunnel vision), a faster
heartbeat, sweating, and nausea. Someone who is about to faint may
even throw up.
If you think you're going to faint, you may be able to head
it off by taking these steps:
- If possible, lie down.
This can help prevent a fainting episode as it allows blood to
circulate to the brain. Just be sure to stand up again slowly
when you feel better - move to a sitting position for several
minutes first, then to standing.
- Sit down with your head lowered forward between your
knees.
This will also help blood circulate to the brain, although
it's not as good as lying down. When you feel better, move
slowly into an upright seated position, then stand.
- Don't let yourself get dehydrated.
Drink enough fluids, especially when your body is losing more
water due to sweating or being in a hot environment.
- Keep blood circulating.
If you have to stand or sit for a long time, periodically tense
your leg muscles or cross your legs to help improve blood return
to the heart and brain. And try to avoid overheated, cramped, or
stuffy environments.
What Should You Do?
If you've only fainted once and the reasons why are obvious
(like being in a hot, crowded setting), then there's usually no
need to worry about it. But if you have a medical condition or are
taking prescription medications, it's a good idea to call your
doctor. You should also let your doctor know if you hurt yourself
when you fainted (for example, if you banged your head really
hard).
If you also have chest pain, palpitations (heart beating fast
for no reason), shortness of breath, or seizures, or the fainting
occurred during exercise or exertion, talk with your doctor -
especially if you've fainted more than once. Frequent fainting
may be a sign of a health condition, like a heart problem.
What Do Doctors Do?
For most teens, fainting is not connected with other health
problems, so a doctor will probably not need to do anything beyond
examining you and asking a few questions. If concerned about your
fainting, the doctor may order some tests in addition to giving you
a physical exam and taking your medical history. Tests depend on
what the doctor thinks might be causing the problem, but common
tests include an EKG (a type of test for heart problems), a blood
sugar test, and sometimes a blood test to make sure a person is not
anemic.
If test results show that fainting is a symptom of another
problem, such as anemia, the doctor will advise you on treatments
for that problem.
Helping Someone Who Faints
If you're with someone who has fainted, try to make sure the
person is lying flat, but avoid moving the person if you think he
or she might have been injured when falling (moving an injured
person can make things worse).
Instead, loosen any tight clothing - such as belts, collars, or
ties - to help restore blood flow. Propping the person's feet
and lower legs up on a backpack or jacket can also help move blood
back toward the brain.
Someone who has fainted will usually recover quickly. Because
it's normal to feel a bit weak after fainting, be sure the
person stays lying down. Getting up too quickly may bring on
another fainting spell.
Call 911 if someone who has fainted does not regain
consciousness after about a minute.
Reviewed by:
Yamini Durani, MD, and Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: May 2007
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice,
diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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