Home Care:

If you have a history of fainting, follow your doctor's instructions for how to prevent fainting episodes. For example, if you know the situations that cause you to faint, avoid or change them.

Get up from a lying or seated position slowly. If having blood drawn makes you faint, tell your health care provider before having a blood test and make sure that you are lying down when the test is done.

You can take immediate treatment steps when someone has fainted:

• Check the person's airway and breathing. If necessary, call 911 and begin rescue breathing and CPR.
• Loosen tight clothing around the neck.
• Raise the person's feet above the level of the heart (about 12 inches).
• If the person has vomited, turn onto his or her side to prevent choking.
• Keep the person lying down for at least 10 - 15 minutes, preferably in a cool and quiet space. If this is not possible, sit the person forward with the head between the knees.

Call your health care provider if:

Call 911 if the person who fainted:

• Fell from a height, especially if injured or bleeding
• Does not become alert quickly (within a couple of minutes)
• Is pregnant
• Is over age 50
• Has diabetes (check for medical identification bracelets)
• Feels chest pain, pressure, or discomfort
• Has a pounding or irregular heartbeat
• Has a loss of speech, vision problems, or is unable to move one or more limbs
• Has convulsions, a tongue injury, or a loss of bladder or bowel control

Even if it's not an emergency situation, you should be seen by a doctor if you have never fainted before, if you faint often, or if you have new symptoms with fainting. Call for an appointment to be seen as soon as possible.

What to expect at your health care provider's office:

Your health care provider will ask you questions to determine whether you simply fainted, or if something else happened (like a seizure or heart rhythm disturbance), and to figure out the cause of the fainting episode. If someone witnessed the fainting episode, their description of the event may be very helpful.

The questions will include:

• Is this the first time you have fainted?
• When did you faint? What were you doing before it occurred? For example, were you going to the bathroom, coughing, or standing for a long time?
• Did fainting occur with exercise?
• How would you describe the dizziness that you felt before fainting? Did you feel light-headed, off-balance, or like the room was spinning?
• Did the faint occur with convulsions (jerking muscle movements), tongue injury, or loss of bowel control?
• When you regained consciousness, were you aware of your surroundings or were you confused?
• Did you experience chest pain or heart palpitations before you fainted?
• Do you faint when you change positions -- for example, going from lying to standing?

The physical examination will focus on your heart, lungs, and nervous system. Your blood pressure may be measured in several different positions. People with a suspected arrhythmia may need to be admitted to a hospital for testing.

Tests that may be performed include:

• Blood tests for anemia or body chemical imbalances
• Cardiac rhythm monitoring
• Echocardiogram
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Electroencephalogram (EEG)
• Holter monitor
• X-ray of the chest