Fainting is not something that happens to you and you recover after that. There can be serious problems like fracture to bones in the body when you have a fall, drowning, accidents and many other things.
There are several reasons for fainting including dehydration, diabetes, low BP and medicines. Let us examine few of the reasons in detail.
Dehydration
When you don’t drink enough of water or when you lose too much of fluid your body gets dehydrated. The result is that the blood pressure drops, the nervous system can’t control anything and the result is that you faint.
Hence it is very important to drink plenty of water, especially when the temperature is high outside. One sign of dehydration is dark yellow urine and you may drink more water to be on the safer side.
Irregular Rhythm
Arrhytmhmia means the heart has an irregular beat. When this happens the blood that flows to the brain sometimes slows and results in fainting. It is the first symptom of an irregular heartbeat. It can lead to serious heart problems later.
Breath Holding
Kids when they cry hard sometimes hold their breath and cut off oxygen, this triggers and automatic response which make them faint. They turn blue, pass out and then later seem groggy. But this is normal and nothing to worry about.
Low Blood Sugar
Low blood sugar is hypoglycaemia; it can make a person dizzy, shaky, tired and confused. You can reverse the condition by taking a sip of juice or having a candy. If not then it can lead to fainting. A medicine called glucagon is carried by people who are hypoglycaemic and it releases more sugar into the blood.
Diabetes
High diabetes can damage the nerves that keep the blood pressure under control. This causes low blood pressure which causes dizziness and fainting.
Medicines
Some medicines used for high blood pressure, antidepressants and insulin used for diabetes can cause low blood pressure and this will give rise to fainting. Sometimes medicines and illness together can be too much for older people and they may pass out.
Seizures
People suffering from seizures can cause unconsciousness for minutes together and this be preceded by eyes rolling back and jerking movements of the whole body.
Emotional Shock
In some people the body reacts when it sees blood, sudden emotional scenes or due to fear or injury. What happens is the blood flow slows and blood starts accumulating in the legs and away from the brain. You may feel cold, pale and nauseated and then faint.
Other causes for fainting includes intense coughing, hyperventilation, too much alcohol drinking or even wearing clothes that choke you around the collar.