Fainting - Treatments, Symptoms, Causes And Prevention - Healthdirect

If you don’t know whether someone is fainting or is having a serious incident like a cardiac arrest, follow DRSABCD

Key facts

• Fainting is when you suddenly lose consciousness and become unresponsive for a few seconds.
• Before you faint, it is common to get warning signs such as weakness, dizziness, nausea, vision changes or anxiety.
• A faint can be caused by tiredness, dehydration, severe pain, anxiety, low blood pressure, low blood sugar levels, heart attack or stroke.
• If you feel you are about to faint, lie on the ground with your legs raised until the feeling passes.
• If someone near you has fainted and they are unconscious, begin fainting first aid (DRSABCD) — it could save their life.

On this page

• What is fainting?
• What causes fainting?
• What are the symptoms of fainting?
• When should I see my doctor?
• When should I call an ambulance?
• How is fainting treated?
• Can fainting be prevented?
• Resources and Support
• Related information on Australian websites

What is fainting?

Fainting (also called syncope) is when you suddenly lose consciousness or ‘black out’ for a few seconds. People usually recover very quickly and without any lasting effects.

Fainting happens when the blood flow to the brain is reduced.

What causes fainting?

There are many causes of fainting, including:

• tiredness, dehydration, anaemia
• low blood pressure caused by some medicines or health conditions
• orthostatic (postural) hypotension— where your blood pressure drops if you stand up too quickly
• heart attack, stroke or seizure
• low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia) caused by some medicines or health conditions
• emotional stress, anxiety, severe pain, exposure to something unpleasant such as blood
• prolonged standing, laughing or coughing, sneezing, straining on the toilet

What are the symptoms of fainting?

Before fainting, it is common to experience some of the following:

• sweating, weakness, dizziness, light-headedness
• shortness of breath
• vision changes, blurred or faded vision, seeing spots or lights
• nausea, vomiting, stomach-ache
• pale face, cool and moist skin
• numbness, tingling
• anxiety, restlessness

When fainting, the person usually falls or slumps over.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

When should I see my doctor?

You should see a doctor if you:

• have fainted and do not know the cause
• have recently fainted more than once

You may recover quickly after fainting, but even if you do, it's best to visit your doctor to check the cause. Fainting can be the sign of something simple, or of a more serious a medical condition, like a heart or brain disorder.

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

ASK YOUR DOCTOR — Preparing for an appointment? Use the Question Builder for general tips on what to ask your GP or specialist.

When should I call an ambulance?

You should call an ambulance if you or someone near you has fainted and they:

• have severe bleeding or injury
• had irregular heartbeat, chest pains, shortness of breath or palpitations before fainting
• have a severe headache, ongoing blurred vision, slurred speech or feel disoriented
• fainted whilst sitting or lying down, fainted more than once, or took longer than a few minutes to regain consciousness
• have a diagnosed heart condition
• did not feel warning signs beforehand
• are over 60 years old

How is fainting treated?

If you see someone faint and they are unconscious follow DRSABCD:

DRSABCD ACTION PLAN

Letter	Representing	What to do
D	Danger	Check for danger, ensure that everyone in the area is safe. Do not put yourself or others at risk.
R	Response	Look for a response — loudly ask their name, squeeze their shoulder. If they respond by moving, making a noise or opening their eyes they are conscious. Make them comfortable. If there is no response, continue with DRSABCD.
S	Send for help	If there is no response, phone triple zero (000) or ask another person to call. Do not leave the person.
A	Airway	Check their mouth and throat are not blocked with food, blood, vomit, loose teeth or a foreign object. If there is a blockage put them in the recovery position to clear it. Gently tilt their head back and lift their chin.
B	Breathing	Check they are breathing. Look, listen and feel for 10 seconds. Place a hand on their stomach, your ear to their mouth and look to see if their chest is rising and falling. If they are breathing normally, place them in recovery position. Stay with them. Keep checking their breathing until help arrives.
C	CPR	If they are not breathing normally, start CPR — cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Chest compressions are the most important part of CPR. Start chest compressions as soon as possible after calling for help.
D	Defibrillation	Attach an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to the patient if one is available or someone can bring it. Do not get it if you need to leave the person alone. Use the AED as soon as possible.

If they are conscious:

• lay them on their back, raise and support their legs
• loosen tight clothing
• provide fresh air — open a window if possible
• watch their face for signs of recovery
• if they are pregnant, place a pillow under their right bottom to tilt them
• treat any injuries

Do not:

• make them sit with their heads between their legs
• splash their face with water

If you fainted, you should:

• avoid driving or operating machinery until you have discussed your fainting with your doctor
• stay with someone until you feel better

Can fainting be prevented?

If you’re feeling faint or light-headed, here are some things you can do:

• Lie down with your legs raised higher than your head for 10 minutes, or until the feeling passes.
• Drink water.
• Get some fresh air.

You can try to prevent yourself from fainting:

• Change positions slowly, especially when moving from a lying to a standing position.
• When waking up, sit on the edge of your bed for a few minutes before standing.
• If you’re pregnant, avoid lying on your back. Pressure from your growing uterus (womb) on your major blood vessels may make you feel faint.
• Keep a healthy diet. Have regular meals. Drink plenty of water unless you have been advised not to.
• Avoid triggers that cause you to faint.

Resources and Support

• Learn more about fainting first aid at St John Ambulance Australia.
• Read more on how to perform CPR — you can save a life doing CPR.
• Visit HealthyWA for tips on what to do if you feel you may faint.
• You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Are you pregnant and looking for resources on fainting?

• The Royal Women’s Hospital provides advice on common concerns in pregnancy, including fainting.
• Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available from 7 am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week (including public holidays).