The dizzying facts about fainting
Eileen Waldron's body hit the bathroom floor. "One minute she was standing there in her pajamas taking out her contact lenses; the next, she was lying on the floor," says Waldron's husband Michael. He immediately cradled her head, frantically trying to wake her up. Just as he was about to call 911, she started to come around. Looking up at her husband's face, she asked: "What happened?"
What to do
What can cause fainting?
Reconstruct what happened
What to do
A few minutes passed and Waldron was feeling fine, but her husband insisted they call David Zalut, MD, their family physician and chairman of family medicine at Virtua West Jersey Hospitals. Dr. Zalut instructed them to go to Virtua Voorhees' emergency department. He says: "Even if the person is awake and alert a few seconds after fainting, don't ignore the incident. It is better to call a physician or go to the ER than to dismiss it."
Fainting, also called syncope (SIN-co-pe), is a sudden, brief loss of consciousness because of decreased blood flow to the brain.
What can cause fainting?
Most fainting spells, like Waldron's, are not a sign of a serious medical condition. Taking over-the-counter cold medicines, standing up too fast or skipping meals can trigger one. Even eye drops can affect a person's heart rate, which may cause fainting. But, before the cause can be determined physicians need to know the circumstances surrounding the episode. This information helps them differentiate between a common fainting spell and more severe disorders such as a seizure or stroke.
Reconstruct what happened
Dr. Zalut, a board-certified family practitioner in South Jersey for the last 17 years, says: "When someone faints, it's important for those with the person to remember what the individual was doing before, during and after the collapse. For example, was the person exercising or complaining of a headache? Or, did it happen without warning?"
Dr. Zalut knew that Waldron had a family history of heart trouble and wanted to rule out more serious problems. Fortunately, the tests did not show any heart damage, and her fainting spell was most likely caused by a combination of anemia, stress and not eating lunch. Waldron knows she needs to be more conscious of her diet. "I'm just relieved my husband was there. Without his quick reaction, this would have been a much scarier ordeal."