A person can faint at anytime. It’s important to know what should be done when dealing with fainting situations. Bear in mind that the victim can be you or someone else. There are several factors that cause the situation but the main ones are: Lack of sufficient blood in the brain, dehydration and severe heart conditions.
What to Do when Another Person Faints?
The first thing to do is to try and catch the person before he/she falls to the ground. Many people end up with serious head injuries as a result of fainting. Then, conduct an assessment of the victim. Check whether or not breathing is normal. In case the victim stops breathing, administer CPR immediately. Also, tell someone to call 911. Once the victim starts to breathe, elevate the legs so that blood circulation can reach the brain.
Another important aspect of dealing with fainting involves talking to the victim. Ask whether he/she is okay and can hear you. If you don’t get a response after five minutes, the situation is more serious and will require paramedic assistance. Regardless of the severity of the situation, always stay calm. Prevent a crowd from surrounding the victim so that he/she can get adequate fresh air.
Provide food and/or water to the person after consciousness has been regained. Furthermore, don’t allow the victim to stand up too quickly. This can easily lead to another fainting episode.
What to Do When You Faint?
It gets more challenging when dealing with fainting whereby you’re the victim. Therefore, it’s vital to learn all tell tale signs of fainting. When you’re able to know that a fainting spell is about to attack, you’ll be in a better position of preventing serious injury.
Signs to look out for include:
- Dizziness
- Blurry vision
- Excessive sweating
- Stomach upset
Always maintain safety when dealing with fainting. Try to search for a place that is free from potential dangers so that the faint can be less severe. You can make things easier by lying down with the feet placed in a higher position than the head. In case you’re in a public place and lying down is not an option, sit down and take deep breaths. Alert the people around you of the situation and ask for their help.
How to Prevent Fainting?
You can reduce the chances of fainting tremendously by taking the following preventative steps:
- Eat regularly and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. When you adopt a healthy eating habit, weakness that is associated to fainting will be eliminated. Water will help to combat dizziness.
- Avoid stress. Many people faint when they experience a stressful situation. Stay calm and avoid getting into situations that are bound to make you anxious.
- Avoid drinking and smoking. When dealing with fainting, you’ll be required to stay away from these toxins since they normally induce fainting.
- Change your position is a slow pace because sudden movement can cause fainting. Hold on to a piece of furniture or a wall when standing in order to balance properly.
Where to Learn More?
To learn more about managing circulatory and breathing emergencies enroll in a first aid course here. Courses are offered throughout North America as we are partnered with the leading training providers in your area.