Feeling during loss of consciousness. From what they faint - the reasons for the sudden loss of consciousness. Short-term loss of consciousness by falling

Sudden loss of consciousness (from the Greek word "syncope", which means chopping off) - alarming symptom, which should not be ignored, because it may indicate serious illness or a general breakdown. A sharp deterioration in well-being, darkening in the eyes, vomiting are clear signals of the body requiring help.

Causes

The main cause of dizziness and loss of consciousness is an acute lack of oxygen in the cerebral cortex, due to a reduced blood flow. The following factors can lead to this phenomenon:

Neurogenic causes... Vasodepressor syncope is the most common cause of loss of consciousness during exercise or prolonged standing in a stuffy room. This group also includes short-term orthostatic syncope, a malaise familiar to most people that occurs when lifting or changing body position.
Stress or pain from trauma can lead to a decrease in the number of heartbeats, which causes a decrease in blood flow to the heart. This is another common cause of loss of consciousness in both men and women.
Problems of cardio-vascular system ... This includes the so-called cardiogenic syncope, which occurs as a result of an abnormal heart rhythm or myocardial infarction. Atherosclerosis also leads to fainting due to pathological changes in the body of the large vessels that feed the brain. The patency of the arteries and veins deteriorates, the gaps are reduced, and normal blood circulation is disrupted.
Blood clots partially blocking the vessels. They affect the blood flow in the body and arise against the background of the transferred surgical intervention or are the result of a malfunctioning heart.
Anaphylactic shock developing in response to drug administration, and infectious shock- a condition in which the vessels dilate, provoking the outflow of blood from the heart.
Uncontrolled rapidity and deepening of breathing with a panic attack or an attack of fear.
Poisoning... The most common causes of loss of consciousness are excessive alcohol consumption, drug overdose, and so on.
Brain pathologies causing a sudden increase in intracranial pressure (trauma, tumor, hemorrhage).
All kinds of disturbances in the work of the vegetative nervous system and epilepsy... They are easily distinguished by loss of consciousness with seizures caused by an epileptic seizure.
Prolonged fasting causing anemia. Especially often it becomes the cause of loss of consciousness in adolescents who do not follow the diet. Fainting occurs when hemoglobin drops to 70 grams per liter.
Lung disease, especially bronchial asthma.
Hypotension... Hypotensive patients often complain of drowsiness, loss of concentration, and difficulty with memory. And there is a direct link between low blood pressure and dizziness. Dysregulation of the cardiovascular system causes headaches and loss of consciousness.
Hypertension. High blood pressure can also provoke acute malaise up to the development of a hypertensive crisis. A number of neurovascular disorders lead to increased blood pressure - the cause of loss of consciousness in hypertensive patients.
Diabetes... With both a lack and an excess of insulin in the blood, people suffering from diabetes can lose consciousness.
Lactic acid coma.

Affect also age features organism:

In children, emotional overexcitation is most often the symptom and cause of loss of consciousness. The baby's nervous system does not yet know how to cope with stress, so any shock - from going to the doctor to the festive line in honor of September 1, can result in a swoon. It should be borne in mind that the causes of loss of consciousness in infants sometimes lie in dangerous pathologies of the nervous system. Therefore, such malaise in young children should at least alert.
In adolescents, in particular, young girls, the cause of loss of consciousness is often menstruation and associated anemia. Lean guys often suffer from minor heart defects such as prolapse. mitral valve, which is also accompanied by a symptom - darkening in the eyes when standing up.
Dizziness and hot flashes of nausea often occur during menopause. In some cases, it is the state of menopause that is the cause of loss of consciousness in women after 45 years. These symptoms do not allow to live and work fully, as a woman is afraid to leave the house so as not to fall right on the street.
The older age group is also at risk. Old age is a fairly common cause of loss of consciousness during sleep.

Symptoms

Loss of consciousness is almost always preceded by a period of so-called harbingers. People who periodically experience such ailment are able to accurately recognize the signs of lightheadedness:

Nausea, which occurs abruptly or gradually and occurs "rolls".
Obsessive yawning, as a symptom of oxygen starvation of the brain.
Shaking hands and feet.
Flashing flies before your eyes... Everyone describes them differently - sometimes they appear as ripples. yellow color, in other cases, visual impairment is expressed in cloudiness or veils before the eyes.
Slowness of reactions... If a person is not alone and communicates with someone at the moment of unwell, his interlocutor may notice some inhibition of speech and a gaze resting on one point. The patient does not respond to questions, or answers with a long delay.
Tinnitus... This symptom manifests itself on an increasing basis, starting with a small noise and completely drowning out the surrounding sounds before the loss of consciousness.
Headache intensifying every minute and concentrated in the back of the head. A feeling of heaviness is also observed in this part of the head.
Excessive sweating.
Pallor of the skin... The skin of the face becomes ashy gray.

During fainting, the body is motionless, all muscles are relaxed. It can even cause you to urinate if you lose consciousness. The pulse is superficial, infrequent and poorly palpable. This state can last from 3 to 5 minutes.

After that, the person gradually comes to his senses, but he feels completely overwhelmed. The fainting itself and the last seconds preceding it are usually not remembered.

First aid

If the behavior of a person indicates an approaching attack, the following actions must be taken:

Sit or lay a person in such a way that his head is down. For example, lower your head between your knees, or lay the victim on his back and raise his legs up. This will help restore blood circulation;
Unbutton the neckline, free the neck from the scarf, remove all tight clothes;
Provide fresh air. If a person becomes ill in public transport, open the window, ask the driver to stop, and take the victim out into the street.
Sprinkle the face with cool water and sniff a cotton swab dipped in ammonia.
If at the moment of loss of consciousness the victim's eyes are open, then they should be covered to avoid drying out of the cornea.

If these measures are followed, the person will feel an improvement and will regain consciousness within a few minutes. But if they do not bring results, you need to move on to more serious actions.

Keep the victim in a safe and comfortable position.
Check your tongue by gently opening your jaw. If at the time of the attack he fuses, it can cause suffocation of the victim. Return the tongue to its normal place if necessary.
Check to see if the person was injured by the fall.
Turn the victim onto their side.
Check the reaction of the pupils to light, they should narrow when exposed to light.
Count your pulse and check your breathing rate.
If the pulse and breathing are absent, it is necessary to start resuscitation measures - heart massage and artificial respiration.
If a person does not come to his senses for more than 5 minutes, it is necessary to call an ambulance.

Temporary malaise does not always pose a threat to life, but frequent loss of consciousness must have reasons, and sometimes quite serious ones. They may be due to the pathological processes occurring in the body and require mandatory consultation, and, possibly, further treatment by a cardiologist, neuropathologist and therapist.

Sudden loss of consciousness (from the Greek word "syncope", which means chopping off) is an alarming symptom that should not be ignored, because it may indicate serious illness or a general breakdown. A sharp deterioration in well-being, darkening in the eyes, vomiting are clear signals of the body requiring help.

The main cause of dizziness and loss of consciousness is an acute lack of oxygen in the cerebral cortex, due to a reduced blood flow. The following factors can lead to this phenomenon:

Hypotension... Hypotensive patients often complain of drowsiness, loss of concentration, and difficulty with memory. And there is a direct link between low blood pressure and dizziness. Dysregulation of the cardiovascular system causes headaches and loss of consciousness.

Hypertension... High blood pressure can also provoke acute malaise up to the development of a hypertensive crisis. A number of neurovascular disorders lead to increased blood pressure - the cause of loss of consciousness in hypertensive patients.

Diabetes... With both a lack and an excess of insulin in the blood, people suffering from diabetes can lose consciousness.

Lactic acid coma .

Age-related characteristics of the body also affect:

Loss of consciousness is almost always preceded by a period of so-called harbingers. People who periodically experience such ailment are able to accurately recognize the signs of lightheadedness:

Nausea... which occurs abruptly or gradually and occurs "roll-overs".
Obsessive yawning... as a symptom of oxygen starvation of the brain.
Shaking hands and feet .
Flashing flies before your eyes... Everyone describes them in their own way - sometimes they appear in the form of yellow ripples, in other cases, visual impairment is expressed in dimness or veils before the eyes.
Slowness of reactions... If a person is not alone and communicates with someone at the moment of unwell, his interlocutor may notice some inhibition of speech and a gaze resting on one point. The patient does not respond to questions, or answers with a long delay.
Tinnitus... This symptom manifests itself on an increasing basis, starting with a small noise and completely drowning out the surrounding sounds before the loss of consciousness.
Headache... intensifying every minute and concentrated in the back of the head. A feeling of heaviness is also observed in this part of the head.
Excessive sweating .
Pallor of the skin... The skin of the face becomes ashy gray.

After that, the person gradually comes to his senses, but he feels completely overwhelmed. The fainting itself and the last seconds preceding it are usually not remembered.

First aid

If the behavior of a person indicates an approaching attack, the following actions must be taken:

Sit or lay a person in such a way that his head is down. For example, lower your head between your knees, or lay the victim on his back and raise his legs up. This will help restore blood circulation;
Unbutton the neckline, free the neck from the scarf, remove all tight clothes;
Provide fresh air. If a person becomes ill in public transport, open the window, ask the driver to stop, and take the victim out into the street.
Sprinkle the face with cool water and sniff a cotton swab dipped in ammonia.
If at the moment of loss of consciousness the victim's eyes are open, then they should be covered to avoid drying out of the cornea.

If these measures are followed, the person will feel an improvement and will regain consciousness within a few minutes. But if they do not bring results, you need to move on to more serious actions.

Keep the victim in a safe and comfortable position.
Check your tongue by gently opening your jaw. If at the time of the attack he fuses, it can cause suffocation of the victim. Return the tongue to its normal place if necessary.
Check to see if the person was injured by the fall.
Turn the victim onto their side.
Check the reaction of the pupils to light, they should narrow when exposed to light.
Count your pulse and check your breathing rate.
If the pulse and breathing are absent, it is necessary to start resuscitation measures - heart massage and artificial respiration.
If a person does not come to his senses for more than 5 minutes, it is necessary to call an ambulance.

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Loss of consciousness

Loss of consciousness- a state during which a person is immobilized and not susceptible to external stimuli. During this period, disturbances in the work of the central nervous system occur. Consider the causes of loss of consciousness, symptoms of the condition and measures to help with fainting.

Causes of loss of consciousness

All causes of loss of consciousness are associated with damage to brain cells to one degree or another. Fainting can be caused by:

circulatory disorders as a result of certain diseases (atherosclerosis, thrombosis, etc.) and conditions (ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke);
oxygen starvation due to blood loss as a result of physical injury or bleeding that has developed due to illness;
oxygen deficiency in cardiovascular and pulmonary pathologies;
anemia with a significant decrease in hemoglobin levels;
malnutrition of the brain with diabetes mellitus and general exhaustion;
epileptic syndrome;
traumatic brain injury;
anaphylactic shock. happened as a result of an allergic reaction;
toxic shock in severe infectious diseases;
traumatic shock due to severe pain, freezing, heatstroke;
poisoning with carbon monoxide due to improper operation of stoves, gas appliances, car engines;
Orthostatic syncope is caused by a sudden change in body position at low pressure.

Sometimes the cause of a sudden loss of consciousness is an increased reactivity to psychological situations such as fear, excitement, etc.

Symptoms of loss of consciousness

The clinical manifestations of loss of consciousness depend on the cause of the condition.

Short-term loss of consciousness (fainting) occurs due to a temporary disruption of blood flow in the brain. In this case, loss of consciousness occurs for a few seconds. Preceding fainting:

feeling of nausea;
"Flies" in the eyes;
tinnitus;
perspiration;
general weakness.

Then there is a loss of consciousness, characterized by:

increased or slowed heart rate;
a decrease in pressure;
pallor of the skin;
weakening of heart sounds;
dilation of the pupils and a decrease in their response to light.

With deep fainting, seizures and involuntary urination may develop.

An epileptic seizure is accompanied by sharp involuntary twitching of the body, intense salivation, and sometimes screaming.

Prolonged loss of consciousness can take hours, days, and entails serious, and sometimes irreversible consequences for the body. In medicine, persistent loss of consciousness is called "coma".

First aid for loss of consciousness

Whatever the reason for the loss of consciousness, it is necessary to call a doctor who will determine how dangerous unconsciousness is for a person.

Bye " Ambulance"Did not arrive:

If fainting occurs, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination in order to identify a disease that entails obvious disturbances in the functioning of the body.

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Why does a person faint and what is this condition? The brain cannot function normally without a constant flow of blood and nutrients. A sudden violation of this process causes a sharp oxygen starvation of the brain tissues. The result is a short-term loss of consciousness - usually it lasts a few seconds. The repetition of these cases indicates cardiological, neurological problems in the body, and the reasons for fainting are varied. Do not delay their diagnostics. Not only fainting, but also light-headedness should alert you and bring you to a qualified specialist.

Symptoms of loss of consciousness

Fainting and loss of consciousness - what's the difference? There is no difference, since fainting is a loss of consciousness for a short time (usually up to 1 minute). The main harbinger can be called light-headedness. And speaking about the symptoms of loss of consciousness, most often they mean the symptoms of a pre-fainting state:

a feeling of lightheadedness, nausea rolls up;
the heart begins to beat often;
circles, "flies" appear before the eyes;
vision loses clarity;
a strong knocking appears in the temples;
cold sweat is profuse;
there is a feeling of an imminent fall.

It is at this moment that you need to take emergency measures to avoid loss of consciousness. Timely first aid is also extremely important.

However, fainting can occur quite suddenly, without this "warning." His symptoms cannot go unnoticed by others:

the person suddenly loses balance and falls in a "sheaf";
loss of consciousness occurs;
the skin becomes pale;
limbs may twitch and urine may spontaneously flow.

Having regained consciousness, a person feels overwhelmed and experiences severe drowsiness.

Causes of fainting

There are many reasons why they faint, and almost all of them are associated with a sharp decrease in the intensity of blood flow in the brain. Among the most common causes of loss of consciousness are disorders of the nervous system (50% of all cases) and heart disease (25%). Also, immediately before unconsciousness can:

dysfunction of blood vessels due to a pre-stroke state, atherosclerosis;
increase in pressure in the vessels of the skull due to hydrocephalus, tumor, hemorrhage;
decrease the amount of sugar, oxygen in the body, which occurs with kidney pathologies, hypoglycemia, anemia;
decrease in the circulating blood volume due to bleeding.

Causes of frequent fainting

The causes of frequent fainting are distinguished into a separate group. Usually they are associated with various mental disorders that manifest themselves periodically, for example, hysterical neurosis. An abrupt disruption in blood flow can occur with epilepsy. Often, first aid for fainting is needed for people with low blood pressure, diabetes mellitus. A drop in vascular tone can cause fatigue, neurosis, and even a simple transition from a seated state to a standing state and vice versa.

There are also specific causes in women and men that lead to short-term loss of consciousness.

Causes of fainting in men

Alcohol poisoning.
Tight collar of a business suit.
Exercise too intense.
Urination at night in older men.

Causes of fainting in women

Internal bleeding due to gynecological diseases.
Various abnormalities of pregnancy.
Too strict diet.
An overly powerful outburst of emotions.

First aid for fainting

If a person faints, there is a high likelihood of serious injury or even injury. If you yourself feel a light-headed state, it is necessary, if possible, to take a safe position, it is best to lie down with your head lowered.

What if the person fainted in your presence? Try to catch it in time - this will protect you from possible injuries.

First aid for fainting:

lay the patient so as to improve the blood supply to the head - raise your legs and try to lower your head a little lower than the body;
loosen the collar of the patient, open the window in the room for air access;
splash water on your face, apply ammonia to your nostrils;
the patient has come to his senses - offer him something sweet;
if possible, do intravenous injection glucose - this will improve blood circulation.

If the loss of consciousness is treated in a timely manner, the person will feel better within a few minutes.

Types of fainting

In medicine, there are three main types of syncope.

At neurogenic there is a temporary disorder of cardiovascular reflexes that control the dynamics of blood in the body. This species is diverse:

vasodepressor - the consequences of too strong emotions, stress, fear, they are most common;
orthostatic are caused by a sharp transfer of the body from a prone position to an upright one;
fainting due to tight collars due to too high sensitivity of the carotid sinus;
loss of consciousness in men aged when urinating at night, coughing, defecation is a consequence of a sharp increased intrathoracic pressure.

If the patient has irregularities in the heart rhythm, there are problems with the conductivity of the heart tissue, myocardial infarction is diagnosed, then they talk about cardiogenic loss of consciousness.

If, due to sudden fear, panic, anxiety, a person unconsciously increases and deepens breathing, due to which loss of consciousness occurs, such fainting is classified as hyperventilating.

In addition, there are classifications that distinguish:

maladaptive form - when fainting is caused by adaptation to external conditions (a person overheats, etc.);
anemic - when the volume of hemoglobin and erythrocytes drops sharply, and the remaining amount is not enough to fully supply the brain with oxygen;
hypoglycemic - when the level of glucose in the body drops;
extreme forms - when the body gets into extreme conditions: alpine air, burns, intoxication with harmful substances, drugs.

Diseases causing fainting

Patients with arrhythmias may experience fainting due to the drastically reduced blood supply to the brain. With bradycardia, symptoms of loss of consciousness are also observed. The reasons are in a sharp, almost instantaneous drop in the heart rate up to 30 or even 20 beats per second at a rate of 65-72.

In addition, patients may need help with fainting:
pulmonary hypertension;
dehydration;
Parkinson's disease;
with stenosis of the aorta;
diabetes mellitus.

Which doctor will help?

First aid in case of loss of consciousness can be provided by an ambulance team, especially if an injury occurred during the fall. If such conditions recur, you should consult a cardiologist. Depending on the results of the diagnosis, the patient may also be referred to a neurologist, gastroenterologist.

Diagnostics

The initial examination consists in listening to the patient's complaints about the frequency and duration of fainting conditions, and the conditions under which loss of consciousness occur are clarified. A neurological examination is performed.

The patient must be sent for laboratory blood tests.

Among instrumental studies, the most effective are:

different types of ECG;
echocardiography;
computer sphygmomanometry;
cardiorhythmography;
daily monitoring of blood pressure;
duplex scanning of blood vessels.

These are the most modern diagnostic methods, which identify the objective cause of fainting conditions and allow you to prescribe the optimal treatment.

Prophylaxis

Knowing what to do in case of fainting, you must also take care of preventive measures:

eat rationally (it is better to consult your doctor about an individual diet);
moderate physical activity must be present;
walk for at least 2 hours a day;
women during pregnancy should regularly visit a gynecologist;
exclude extreme loads, overheating;
from medicines, the doctor can prescribe nootropics, venotonics, adaptogens, vitamins.

Diagnostics and treatment at the Center for Pathology of the Circulatory System

At the CBCP clinic, you have at your service modern European diagnostic equipment, perfect research methods and highly qualified doctors.

Even if you have once experienced a light-headed state, this is already a reason to see a doctor. And repeated fainting - obligatory reason to visit a cardiologist and carry out professional diagnostics. Timely detected cardiological pathology is far from a sentence. The CBCP Cardiology Clinic will select an individual treatment program, and your body will return to its tone.

http://www.cbcp.ru/bolezni/obmorok.php

In the 19th century, girls from high society often fell into fainting, having heard unpleasant news, frightened or simply from stuffiness. Then doctors called this condition pale sickness and believed that the cause of its development was tight women's corsets and poor nutrition. Today, fainting does not know gender and age restrictions. Nowadays men, women and children can also faint. And this is not surprising modern man it is very difficult to keep calm, and the depressed nervous system just contributes to the transition of a person into temporary nothingness. Sudden stress, fright, strong pain, mental trauma can disturb the consciousness of any person.

Fainting- This is a reflex defense reaction of the body against reality, which is difficult to survive. Fainting is caused by a sudden decrease in blood flow to the brain, as a result of which the person loses consciousness for several minutes. Some people only faint in certain situations. For example, at the sight of blood, from the creepy appearance of a small gray mouse or from being frightened by a bear. But, unfortunately, today most people lose consciousness due to the presence of various health problems. Only a neuropathologist can determine what is behind the loss of consciousness - a simple fright, vasospasm, heart disease, epilepsy, diabetes mellitus or malfunctioning of the thyroid system.

Loss of consciousness can be caused by many reasons, the most common are the following:

1. Nosovagal syncope... This option accounts for 50% of all existing attacks of loss of consciousness. The causes of nosovaganal fainting are severe pain, fright, overwork, hunger, the sight of blood and stuffiness in the room. Some teenagers get sick after spending a long time at the computer.

2. Orthostatic syncope... This fainting occurs most often in the elderly and adolescents. Its reasons are an attempt by a person to abruptly get out of bed or from a chair, turn his head or rise from a squatting position. Orthostatic fainting occurs in adolescents during the period of increased growth, and in the elderly due to illness with bed rest. This variant of fainting may be associated with hypersensitivity of the carotid sinus, located in carotid artery... In this case, it poses a serious threat to life, because it can lead to a stroke. Intense training on machines, heavy lifting and excessive physical exertion can also provoke fainting.

3. Pathological syncope... Serious and prolonged loss of consciousness due to various diseases is called pathological. People with diabetes mellitus often faint due to a missed injection, an overdose of insulin, or an irregular diet. Loss of consciousness in patients with epilepsy is associated with convulsive seizures, which are accompanied by involuntary urination and bite of the tongue. In women, fainting is often found with heavy bleeding during menstruation and ectopic pregnancy due to a ruptured fallopian tube. Insufficient blood supply to the brain causes fainting during hypertensive crisis, stroke and heart attack. Sick bronchial asthma lose consciousness with bronchospasm due to insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain and excess carbon dioxide in the blood. Intoxication of the body due to drug overdose, drug and alcohol poisoning can sometimes also lead to fainting.

Usually, approximation a person feels fainting beforehand. First, he has general weakness, dizziness, nausea, abdominal and thoracic discomfort. Sometimes before fainting, it darkens in the eyes and you feel a strong headache... Outwardly, a person looks pale, his lips turn blue, and his legs and hands become cold. Due to low blood pressure, the pulse weakens, the blood supply to the brain is sharply reduced and the person falls flat on the ground. The state of fainting usually lasts no more than 3 minutes, but if blood pressure falls below 80 mm Hg, the likelihood of collapse is high.

It doesn't matter if the only one happened to you fainting, due to severe fright, overwork or starvation. To prevent fainting in the future, try to avoid situations that provoke it:
- no need to stand in one position for a long time or stand up abruptly;
- Limit salt intake and drink at least 2 liters of water per day;
- Do isometric exercises aimed at maintaining normal blood pressure levels.

Eat well and eliminate blood thickening foods from the diet;
- When nausea, dizziness and fatigue appear, cross your legs and sharply rhythmically tighten your thighs and abdominals several times to increase the flow to the brain from the lower extremities.

But if you have fainting are called pathological condition the body must undergo a serious examination and take measures for the timely treatment of the existing disease.

Instructional video of the causes of loss of consciousness and types of collapse

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We often witness how a person suddenly falls unconscious. How is it necessary to act in this situation and what was the reason? We will talk about this further. Be sure to consider the difference between fainting and loss of consciousness. What should be emergency help man?

What is fainting?

Fainting is not a medical condition. It can be a symptom of some kind of ailment, and even then not always. It is just a sudden loss of consciousness as a result of reduced blood flow to the head. Consciousness is restored spontaneously.

Fainting can be:

Epileptic.
Non-epileptic.

After an epileptic, a very long period of the victim's return to normal.

Non-epileptic syncope includes:

Convulsive. Twitching of muscles joins the usual fainting.
Simple fainting.
Lipotomy. Mild degree fainting.
Arrhythmic form. It happens with some types of arrhythmias.
Orthostatic syncope. With a sharp change from horizontal to vertical.
Bettolepsy. Fainting that appears during chronic illness lungs.
Drop attacks. Very unexpected falls, while a person may not lose consciousness.
Vasodepressor syncope. It happens in childhood.

Symptoms of fainting

Fainting can happen unexpectedly. But sometimes a light-headed state appears before this.

The first symptoms are as follows:

Unexpected weakness.
Darkening in the eyes.
Tinnitus appears.
Pallor.
Sweating increases.
Limbs go numb.
Nausea may be troubling.
Yawn.

Fainting - a short-term loss of consciousness - most often happens to a person while he is standing. In a sitting position, this happens much less often. And, as a rule, when the position of the body changes, the symptoms of fainting disappear.

Fainting is most often accompanied by symptoms of vegetative-vascular disorders. Namely:

The face turns pale.
Extremities get cold.
Sweating increases.
There is a weak pulse.
Blood pressure is greatly reduced.
Breathing is weak, shallow.
In this case, the pupils react to light and tendon reflexes are preserved.

In this state, a person can be from a few seconds to 2-5 minutes. Prolonged fainting can cause increased salivation or twitching of muscles, limbs, and facial muscles.

Fainting factors

The causes of fainting and loss of consciousness are very similar:

Sometimes a fainting state can smoothly flow into a loss of consciousness. What it is, we will consider further.

What happens when you lose consciousness

The person suddenly falls and does not respond to external stimuli, such as:

Light slaps in the face.
Loud voices.
Cold or warm.
Claps.
Slivers.
Pain.

This condition is the result of a dysfunction of the nervous system. If a person is in an unconscious state for a long time, then this is already considered a coma.

Loss of consciousness is divided into:

Short-term. Lasts from 2 seconds to 2-3 minutes. In such cases, no special medical attention is required.
Persistent. This condition can have for the body serious consequences... And if you do not provide the necessary medical assistance in a timely manner, then this can pose a threat to the life and health of the victim.

The manifestations of loss of consciousness are very similar to fainting.

Causes of loss of consciousness

There are several reasons that lead to loss of consciousness:

Insufficient blood supply to the brain.
Lack of brain nutrition.
Insufficient oxygen content in the blood.
Problems in the work of the cardiovascular system. Violation of the rhythm of the heart, heart attack.
Atherosclerotic plaques inside the vessels of the brain.
The presence of blood clots.
Low blood pressure for a long time.
A sharp change in body position. For example, if you stand up sharply from a sitting position.
Shock states:

Anaphylactic.
Allergic.
Infectious shock.

10. Complications of serious illnesses.

11. Anemia.

12. Puberty stage of development.

13. Poisoning with oxygen oxide.

14. Head trauma.

15. Epilepsy.

16. Stroke.

17. Sharp pain.

18. Nervous strain, lack of sleep, overwork.

The causes of fainting and loss of consciousness in men and women are different.

In women, there is a loss of consciousness with internal bleeding, with gynecological diseases, if the pregnancy proceeds with pathologies, there is excessive emotionality or a too strict diet is followed.

In men, loss of consciousness is more often provoked by alcohol poisoning, heavy physical exertion.

Fainting and unconsciousness: what's the difference?

They differ from each other for reasons and possible consequences... So, when fainting, the cause is a decrease in the volume of blood flowing to the brain, which is accompanied by a sharp drop in blood pressure.

If there is a loss of consciousness for more than 5 minutes, serious damage to the brain tissue can occur, which will affect the life of the person. The causes of such conditions can be cardiac pathologies, epilepsy, stroke.

These two states differ in their duration. So, fainting usually lasts a few seconds, but no more than 5 minutes. Loss of consciousness is considered to be over 5 minutes.

Above, we examined for what reasons there can be fainting and loss of consciousness. What is the difference and how is the recovery going, we will study further.

After fainting, all reflex, physiological and neurological reactions are quickly restored.

After loss of consciousness, the recovery of the above reactions occurs very slowly or they do not recover at all. It depends on the time that the person has spent unconscious. The longer, the more difficult it is to recover. Also, this will be influenced by the disease itself, that is, the cause of loss of consciousness.

When a person faints, as a rule, there is no memory loss, as well as any changes during the ECG.

After a person comes to his senses, he may not remember what happened, and, most likely, changes in the ECG will be visible.

Causes of deep fainting

A few words about deep fainting. This is a sudden loss of consciousness. Lack of blood flow to the brain contributes to impaired metabolism and the supply of oxygen and glucose.

The reasons for this condition may be the following:

Reduced blood flow to the brain can be a consequence of such diseases:

Arrhythmia.
Heart failure.
Cardiac dysfunction with physical activity.

2. Insufficient supply of oxygen to the brain, or hypoxia. May occur in severe upper respiratory tract infections.

3. A sharp drop in blood glucose levels.

Deep fainting with loss of consciousness is a great danger, as it can lead to brain oxidation.

If this happens, you urgently need to consult a doctor and conduct full examination organism.

Diagnosis after loss of consciousness or fainting

After the first aid was provided for fainting and loss of consciousness, and the person regained consciousness, it is necessary to analyze the symptoms that may appear.

Pay attention to:

Many dangers can be fraught with fainting and loss of consciousness. What is the difference between the developing consequences depends on many factors and the presence of certain diseases in the body. For example:

Fainting in diabetes mellitus, caused by a sharp drop in blood sugar, can turn into a coma.
In case of carbon monoxide poisoning, the victim loses consciousness, brain hypoxia sets in, contraction of the myocardial muscles is inhibited.
Loss of consciousness after physical exertion or during it is a signal of a serious cardiac pathology.
A high probability of heart pathologies is in older people during loss of consciousness.
Severe heart diseases are signaled by interruptions in its work and exceed 5 seconds before fainting.
With a loss of consciousness, convulsions that appear may indicate not only epilepsy, but also cerebral ischemia caused by heart disease.
If a person has cardiovascular pathologies, then loss of consciousness should be considered a very serious symptom.
If the patient has had a heart attack and has angina pectoris, cardiomegaly, and symptoms of insufficient blood supply, fainting can be fatal.

With a short-term loss of consciousness, fainting, it is necessary to undergo examinations to clarify the cause of this condition. Which ones - we will consider further:

To exclude vegetative vascular dystonia, you need to consult a neurologist.
Consultation of a therapist is needed to exclude hypotension or to prescribe therapy for hypertension.
Ultrasound, ECG, heart holter to find cardiac pathologies.
Ultrasound, dopplerography for examining the vessels of the brain to identify pathologies.

If there was a loss of consciousness, then such examinations will be needed:

A blood test to determine the amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells.
An x-ray is required to examine the lungs.
Take samples for allergens and visit an allergist if you suspect allergic asthma.
Undergo spirography to assess external respiration.

It is worth noting that if fainting occurs with a patient under 40 years of age and there are no abnormalities on the cardiogram, then it is necessary to look for the cause along the neurological line. If, after 40, there are no signs of damage on the cardiogram of the heart, you still need to start with a complete examination of it.

Consequences of fainting and loss of consciousness

Such changes in the state of health cannot be ignored.

Fainting and loss of consciousness can have different consequences for a person. The differences are that fainting in mild form can pass without a trace, and loss of consciousness can be dangerous symptom any disease and pose a danger to life.

But in any case, it is advisable to consult a doctor after the incident. So, with fainting, there is a great danger of tongue sinking, which can block the airways and the person will die of suffocation. With traumatic brain injury, loss of consciousness is the risk of developing severe dangerous complications, as well as the danger of coma and death.

In case of loss of consciousness or fainting, violations occur metabolic processes in the brain tissue. This may affect the work of the brain, namely, memory deterioration, psychological disorders may occur, and attention will decrease. And of course, it can affect the work of everyone internal organs... The longer the unconscious state, the more dangerous for life, since irreversible processes can occur in the tissues of the brain. Therefore, first aid should be provided in a timely manner in case of fainting and loss of consciousness. More on this later.

Rendering help to the victim

Consider what is the provision of first aid in such a state as fainting and loss of consciousness: what is the difference is difficult to answer. Help is provided in both cases, practically according to the same scheme.

As we described earlier, before fainting, a person experiences the first symptoms, that is, he has a light-headed state:

Severe weakness.
The face turns pale.
Pupils dilate.
Perspiration appears.

At this point, if you notice these signs, you need to help the person. What should be done:

Find a place to put the person in a sitting position.
Lower your head below your knees.

By these actions, we will improve blood flow to the head and prevent fainting, as we will eliminate its cause.

What should be the actions in case of fainting, loss of consciousness:

It is necessary to check for the presence of a pulse in the carotid artery and the reaction of the pupils to light.
Lay the victim in a horizontal position, while the legs must be raised above the level of the head. This action ensures blood flow to the head.
If a person has vomited, it is necessary to lay him on his side.
Clear the mouth of vomit and prevent the tongue from sinking down the throat.
Unbutton or loosen tight clothing.
Provide good air access.

If this is a simple faint, then these actions are enough for the person to come to their senses. If this turned out to be not enough, it is necessary to start resuscitation measures.

It is necessary to make an external influence on the brain in order to start the entire system. For this, as a rule, use:

Ammonia.
Cold water. It can be sprayed onto your face.
Light slaps on the cheeks.

2. If none of the above measures helped, call a doctor.

3. If there is no pulse and breathing, it is necessary to urgently begin to do artificial respiration and indirect massage hearts and continue until the ambulance arrives.

After a person comes to his senses, he cannot immediately get up, since the blood supply has not yet been fully restored. There is a danger that the fainting will recur. At this point, it is important to talk with the victim, gradually bringing him to his senses, while controlling his condition. What you should pay attention to, we discussed earlier.

Prolonged oxygen starvation of the brain will cause irreversible changes in the work of the whole organism and can be fatal.

We examined such serious conditions as fainting and loss of consciousness, how they differ from each other, and also tried to explain. Everyone should not only know about this, but also be able to apply their knowledge in an unexpected situation.

Preventive actions

First of all, if you feel that you may pass out, or this has already happened to you, you need to avoid such situations. Namely:

Take in a timely manner medications if there are chronic diseases.
Do not stay in stuffy rooms.
Don't make yourself too tired.
Be able to control yourself in stressful situations.
Do not go on rigid diets.
It is also not recommended to get out of bed abruptly.
Avoid excessive exercise in the gym.
Remember that hunger can also lead to loss of consciousness.

As a prophylaxis for fainting and loss of consciousness, it is recommended to observe the regime of work and rest, moderately engage in sports, carry out hardening procedures, and eat in a timely manner and rationally. If there are chronic pathologies, then it is necessary to regularly visit a specialist and undergo therapy for ailments.

Loss of consciousness is a condition that is caused by transient dysfunction of cerebral blood flow, which generates tissue hypoxia. It manifests itself in a person's loss of awareness of reality, the disappearance of reflexes, a lack of response to stimulation from the outside (deafening sounds, pinching, patting on the cheeks), suppression of the ganglionic nervous system. The disassembled state is often a sign various pathologies or it may accompany certain ailments. There are many reasons for the disappearance of consciousness.

Sudden loss of consciousness is characterized by a neurogenic etiology (epilepsy or stroke) or somatogenic (hypoglycemia, cardiac dysfunction) genesis. In addition, it is short-lived or persistent.

Causes of loss of consciousness

- orthostatic, manifested with a sharp adoption of an upright position, taking some pharmacopoeial drugs;

- occur due to increased susceptibility of the carotid sinus;

- appear due to squeezing inside the breasts (appears with frequent nighttime urination, coughing, bowel movements).

Hyperventilation fainting occurs as a result of a feeling of fear, anxiety. Its mechanism is due to an uncontrolled increase and deepening of breathing.

The following are typical signs and symptoms of loss of consciousness. Before falling into unconsciousness, the individual often feels an attack of lightheadedness, nausea, a veil appears, flies in front of his eyes, the subject hears a ringing, sudden weakness sets in, and occasionally yawns. Limbs may also give way and a feeling of impending fainting may appear.

TO characteristic symptoms the described condition includes: cold sweat, dullness of the skin, although some individuals may retain a slight blush. After falling into an insensitive state, the individual's epidermis acquires an ashy hue, the frequency of myocardial contractions can either increase or decrease, the pulse is characterized by slight fullness, and muscle tone is reduced. During the stay of an individual in a fainting state, his pupils are dilated, they react slowly to light. Reflexes are often weak or absent. Symptoms with short-term loss of consciousness persist for no more than two seconds.

Prolonged loss of consciousness is characterized by unconsciousness lasting more than five minutes. This condition is often accompanied by convulsions and involuntary urination.

Usually, doctors distinguish three phases of loss of consciousness: light-headedness, fainting, and post-fainting.

The state preceding the loss of consciousness is characterized by the appearance of precursors. This state lasts up to twenty seconds. It manifests itself in the following symptoms: nausea, lack of air, severe dizziness, weakness, a feeling of heaviness in lower limbs, pallor of the dermis, cold sweat, numbness of the extremities, decreased breathing, weak pulse, drop in pressure, darkening and the appearance of "flies" in the eyes, gray skin, the patient may feel ringing. In some patients, along with the symptoms being analyzed, there is also anxiety or a feeling of fear, palpitations, yawning, a feeling like a lump in the throat, numbness of the tip of the tongue, fingers, lips. Often, loss of consciousness does not occur, and the attack ends with the listed symptoms. Especially when taken by the patient immediately after the appearance of the first harbinger of a horizontal position. Very rarely, a fainting state is characterized by suddenness, in other words, it occurs in the absence of previous precursors. For example, with various violations of the myocardial rhythm. The feeling of loss of consciousness and "floating out from under the feet of the earth" is the final sign of the phase in question.

The stage of fainting itself has the following signs of loss of consciousness: unconsciousness, shallow breathing, decreased muscle tone, weakness of neurological reflexes, and sometimes convulsions. The pupils are dilated, the response to light is reduced. The pulse is rather weak or not felt at all.

While in an insensitive state, the epidermis acquires pallor, an ashy or greenish tint, the limbs are cold to the touch, the pressure decreases (the systolic pressure reaches 60 mm Hg and below), the pupils are dilated, react poorly to light, breathing becomes shallow (sometimes it seems that a person does not breathe at all), the pulse is rather weak, threadlike, reflexes decrease. If, after twenty seconds, blood circulation in the brain is not restored, then involuntary urination and defecation may occur, and convulsions are also possible.

The post-fainting stage is characterized by the persistence of general weakness against the background of the return of consciousness. At the same time, a sharp adoption of a horizontal position can give rise to a new attack.

After a complete return of consciousness, patients have no disorientation in time, their own personality and space. The first reaction to fainting is fright. Therefore, breathing and heartbeats become more frequent. People feel tired, feel weak, often unpleasant sensations appear in the epigastric region. People do not remember the middle phase of the insensitive state. Their last memories relate to the first stage, that is, a deterioration in well-being.

Short-term loss of consciousness

A sudden fall into an insensitive state always provokes stress in people, since their brain associates the phenomenon in question with a life-threatening disorder or with an imminent death. Loss of consciousness mainly occurs due to O2 deficiency in the brain tissues. Since this organ has a rather intensive metabolic exchange and the need for the consumption of a huge amount of oxygen, a slight decrease in the oxygen content causes disturbances in consciousness.

The brain regulates the functioning of the body. He can also turn off organs that at the moment he considers insignificant for the vital activity of the body, and help vital organs, for example, the heart. Turning off consciousness, the brain, as it were, turns off individual oxygen consumers from the chain to reduce the body's energy expenditure. The consequence of this is muscle weakness, dizziness and loss of consciousness, in which the body takes a horizontal position, becomes completely immobilized, which enables the body to direct blood flow to the neurons of the brain. As a result of this mechanism, the individual quickly returns to consciousness.

Short-term loss of consciousness is neurogenic, somatogenic and extreme.

In turn, neurogenic syncope is caused by a variety of factors and is divided into the following types, namely reflex syncope, emotiogenic, associative, discirculatory, maladaptive.

Reflex fainting is provoked by an increase in the tension of the parasympathetic nervous system, a drop in pressure due to the rapid expansion of capillaries, which reduces the blood supply to the brain tissue. This type of fainting occurs primarily in a standing position. Reflex unconsciousness can occur due to exposure to stressors, a sudden sensation of pain (more often in young people). In addition, the considered variation of the fainting state often occurs with a rapid movement from a horizontal position to a vertical human body, with a long stay in a horizontal position, the act of defecation, urination, while eating (mainly in the elderly).

Emotional loss of consciousness occurs due to a sharp emotional outburst, fright. More often observed in neurotic conditions. Often, emotionally unstable individuals have palpitations, a feeling of heat and difficulty breathing against the background of a frightening event. You may also experience a sense of loss of consciousness.

Associative syncope occurs when the subject has a recollection of past pathogenic situations associated with loss of consciousness.

Dyscirculatory unconsciousness is caused by a transient spasm of the capillaries of the brain, which for a short period deprives a certain segment of the brain of oxygen. More often the described type of insensible state is found in subjects suffering from vascular dystonia, migraines, hypertensive crisis.

Maladaptive loss of consciousness appears when an individual is in a hot room, in an environment with a low or high oxygen content.

Cardiogenic syncope occurs due to cardiac pathology, for example, with valvular disease, insufficient blood output, arrhythmias.

A sudden loss of consciousness of a somatogenic nature is associated with dysfunction of some organs. Therefore, it is of cardiogenic origin, hypoglycemic, anemic and respiratory.

Anemic syncope occurs as a consequence of significant blood loss, in particular, quantitative loss of erythrocytes, which are the main carriers of O2.

Hypoglycemic unconsciousness is observed in a situation of a sudden rapid drop in blood sugar, which is the main nutrient of the brain.

Respiratory syncope is caused by a disorder of the respiratory system.

Weakness loss of consciousness of extreme genesis occurs due to the influence of various external factors. It happens:

- intoxicating, when inhaling various toxic gases;

- medication, due to the intake of pharmacopoeial drugs that reduce the tone of the capillaries;

- hyperbaric, due to high pressure v respiratory system due to increased numbers of atmospheric pressure;

Fainting and loss of consciousness, what is the difference

Both of these phenomena are not uncommon, but it is quite difficult for an untrained person to determine whether an individual has fainted or lost consciousness. An ordinary man in the street does not have the proper knowledge, therefore, he cannot notice the difference between fainting and loss of consciousness.

So, fainting is a sudden, short-term loss of reason, which occurs due to a transient failure of the capillaries of the brain. In other words, the brain feels a lack of oxygen due to poor blood flow. The described state occurs due to a sharp oxygen starvation. It is accompanied by suppression of reflexes, a decrease in the frequency of myocardial contractions, and a drop in pressure.

Loss of consciousness is a long-term disorder in which there is a lack of reflexes and depression of the ganglionic nervous system. The violation in question is dangerous with the possibility of going into a coma.

The following are the main characteristics of loss of consciousness and fainting.

Absolutely all individuals can fall into a state of syncope or fainting, regardless of their age, gender and physical condition. A short fainting occurs more often with fright, in a stuffy room due to lack of air, during menstruation, during gestation, with a sudden decrease in pressure due to an overdose medicines or abuse of alcohol-containing liquids, with excessive physical exertion, fasting or improper diet. Each of these factors provokes the outflow of blood from the brain tissue, which gives rise to short-term oxygen starvation of neurons.

The main signs of syncope (fainting) are the following: a slight clouding of the mind, noise in the ears, yawning, dizziness, cooling of the extremities, paleness or cyanosis of the dermis, profuse sweating, decreased muscle tension, nausea, pressure drop, unpleasant sensation in the mouth, dilated pupils. Falling into a fainting state looks like a person is gradually settling on the floor. Disconnection of consciousness does not occur instantly and can last up to 120 seconds.

Loss of consciousness is a prolonged syncope that occurs due to severe oxygen deficiency in the brain cells.

Among the factors giving rise to the violation in question, the following are distinguished: impaired blood flow through the capillaries caused by thrombosis, arrhythmia, narrowing of the lumen of blood capillaries, embolism, venous congestion, insufficiency of cardiac output, decreased sugar concentration, insulin overdose, epilepsy, concussion, pathologies of the nervous system chronic ailments of the pulmonary system, osteochondrosis of the cervical segment, intoxication of the body with various toxic agents, such as nicotine, carbon monoxide, alcohol-containing substances.

In an unconscious state, the individual lies motionless. He has no reactions to external stimuli, the muscles of the body are relaxed, due to which involuntary urination or an act of defecation is possible, the photosensitivity of the pupils is reduced. Also, there is a skin cyanosis of the skin, cyanosis of the nails due to impaired breathing and oxygen deficiency.

First aid for loss of consciousness

Noticing that the individual loses consciousness, in the first turn, it is recommended to provide first aid and take actions to prevent the occurrence of bruises and head injuries. Then the etiological factor of syncope should be eliminated. For example, if an individual has switched off due to the heat, then the room temperature must be reduced by opening the windows. You can try to return a person to consciousness through external stimuli (spraying the face with cold water, patting on the cheeks, irritation with ammonia).

Loss of consciousness, first aid should exclude confusion and unnecessary fuss. will only aggravate the situation.

If an individual has an ordinary fainting spell, then the elimination of the factor that caused such a condition will quickly return the person to reason. With a fainting state, loss of consciousness occurs due to a violation of the blood supply to the brain. Therefore, the restoration of normal blood circulation is the main task of the people providing assistance. In order to return the blood flow to a normal state, it is necessary to lay the victim. Moreover, his body should be placed at the same level as his head. This means that, contrary to popular opinions of the inhabitants, you don't need to put anything under your head, and even more so it should not be thrown back. Because vascular tone is reduced, then raising the head will lead to the outflow of blood from the brain cells and the restoration of the blood supply to the brain will not happen.

Providing care for loss of consciousness usually differs little from measures to remove a person from fainting. The patient must be removed from the area of exposure to damaging factors, unbuttoned his clothes to provide air access, laid horizontally, it is not recommended to slow down or try to lift the patient. If nosebleeds occur, the individual should be laid on one side. It is impossible to water a person who is insensible, since his reflexes, including the swallowing one, are absent. The patient may choke if you try to water him forcibly. If the individual has not regained consciousness after one hundred and twenty seconds, then he must be hospitalized.

Fainting rarely occurs suddenly. It often follows pre-fainting symptoms, which include rapidly increasing nausea, dizziness, tinnitus, and cloudy eyes. All of the above is observed against the background of general weakness. Sometimes yawning and sweating may appear. The human epidermis acquires a waxy pallor. After that, muscle relaxation is noted, the individual turns off and settles. From the moment of detecting the first signs of poor health to falling, most often, no more than sixty seconds pass. Therefore, loss of consciousness, first aid should begin immediately after the appearance of the opening precursors. Indeed, the etiological factor is often unknown.

It is impossible for an individual who has regained consciousness to independently give medications, in particular, nitroglycerin for complaints of cardiac algia. Since such actions can cause a drop in blood pressure, which will cause repeated fainting. Often, loss of consciousness occurs against the background of a sharp drop in pressure, at which any nitrate-containing substances are completely contraindicated.

Loss of consciousness is considered a rather threatening symptom, indicating the presence of serious pathology in the body. Therefore, treatment for loss of consciousness should be provided immediately. The person assisting with loss of consciousness has no time to panic. After all, any delay often carries a serious threat to the victim's life.

Loss of consciousness is not difficult to diagnose. It is enough just to note the presence of such phenomena as lack of response to external stimuli, covering painful ones, complete immobility, excluding convulsions. At the same time, the determination of the etiological factor is often difficult.

In order to facilitate the task of diagnosing syncope, doctors use all known modern science research methods. The diagnostic process begins with the study of anamnesis, which allows you to identify the presence of pathologies that can cause loss of consciousness, to determine the use of pharmacopoeial drugs that lower pressure or affect the functioning of the nervous system, it turns out, if possible, a provoking phenomenon, for example, physical overstrain, a quick rise from a supine position , being in a stuffy room, heat.

From laboratory tests, first of all, blood sampling is carried out:

- for general analysis, allowing to identify the presence of anemia;

- to determine the concentration of glucose (this analysis allows you to establish the presence of hyper- or hypoglycemia);

- to identify indicators of blood saturation O2 (helps to identify violations that interfere with normal oxygenation).

Various instrumental studies are also carried out:

- an electrocardiogram, which allows you to establish the presence of heart blockages and arrhythmias;

- a kind of electrocardiogram - daily monitoring of myocardial rhythm;

- ultrasound examination of the heart muscle, which helps to detect changes in cardiac contractility of the heart, to establish the state of the valves;

- Doppler sonography of carotid capillaries, which helps to establish barriers to blood flow;

— CT scan allowing to identify brain pathologies;

- magnetic resonance imaging, aimed at identifying damaged segments of the brain tissue.

In order not to face the violation in question in life, it is necessary to engage in preventive measures.

To prevent syncope, regular physical exercises which optimize the natural blood circulation and strengthen the blood capillaries. It should be borne in mind that any load on the body, first of all, should be regulated and moderate. There is no need to try to break Olympic records in the first lesson. The main thing here is systematic, not intensity. In addition, the nightly promenade not only minimizes the risks of loss of consciousness, but also increases the body's overall resistance to various ailments and stresses.

Aromatherapy also occupies an important position in the list of preventive measures. Regular aroma procedures help to get rid of convulsions, spasms, improve blood circulation, oxygen saturation of the blood.

In addition to the listed preventive measures, there are measures aimed at avoiding fainting when feeling harbingers. If suddenly there is numbness of the extremities, nausea, cold sweat, then you need to quickly take a recumbent position, while lifting your legs up, or sit down, lowering your head below knee level. Then you should remove from the neck area any objects that interfere with free breathing (tie, scarf). After relieving the condition, it is recommended to drink water or sweet tea.

The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and cannot replace professional advice and qualified medical assistance. In case of loss of consciousness, be sure to seek medical help!