Darrick Robles Have you ever blacked out or been unconscious for a moment? This is mostly harmless. Nevertheless, you should have the cause clarified, especially if such incidents occur repeatedly.
What is vasovagal syncope?
Vasovagal syncope is caused by a sudden and transient drop in blood pressure and a slowed pulse . The reason for this is overstimulation of the vagus nerve . Therefore, this form of fainting is also called “vasovagal” syncope. The vagus nerve performs an important function in the body: it regulates breathing and the digestive system, but also blood pressure and heart rate. It is therefore of fundamental importance for the correct functioning of the body.
Due to a sharp drop in blood pressure , the brain is briefly supplied with too little blood. This initially leads to discomfort and, in the worst case, to brief unconsciousness: those affected go black before their eyes or they see black “strings”. However, most of those affected can be contacted again quickly. Such a brief fainting is technically referred to as syncope.
In itself, vasovagal syncope is harmless. However, it is a matter of circumstances how mildly it turns out in the end. Sudden dizziness (without loss of consciousness) or momentary loss of consciousness could result in a fall and injury.
Sudden fainting occurs more frequently in 15 to 30 year olds and especially in women .
What is vasovagal syncope?
The vasovagal syncope usually sets in gradually and is announced beforehand, but it can also occur very suddenly – without any warning. Previous signs may include nausea , pallor, and sweating . Gradually, other symptoms appear:
- Flickering or going black before the eyes
- Ringing in the ears (surrounding noise becomes almost inaudible)
- dizziness
- palpitations or racing heart
- Tremble
- inability to speak
- diarrhea or abdominal pain
- headache
- feeling of weakness in the legs. If you cannot sit down or hold on to something, you will quickly fall.
- A loss of consciousness (syncope) lasting only a few seconds may occur.
Those affected notice the typical signs before they lose consciousness. This allows them to react in good time and inform others.
Some symptoms may persist for several hours after the attack, e.g. B. headache, anxiety or severe exhaustion.
What Causes Vasovagal Syncope?
Vasovagal syncope is common and can have a variety of causes. On the one hand, these include physical triggers:
- The sight of blood (e.g. wounds)
- blood draw
- long standing
- Severe exhaustion
- Very warm temperatures
- travel sickness
- A crowded room with insufficient ventilation
- hypoglycaemia
- dehydration (lack of fluids)
In addition to such physical triggers, psychological factors such as strong emotions or stressful situations can also play a role.
In some cases, the drop in blood pressure may be due to standing up too quickly .
Certain medications, particularly antihypertensive medications, can also trigger syncope.
There is no treatment to prevent vasovagal syncope. The only solution is to avoid known triggers such as stressful situations, hot temperatures and long periods of standing. In addition, those affected should pay attention to their blood sugar balance and drink enough water .
What to do in an emergency
If signs of vasovagal syncope appear, sit down immediately to restore blood flow. If possible, sufferers should lie flat and put their feet up. This allows the blood to flow back to the brain.
If you feel the first signs of impending fainting yourself, let others know how you are feeling. If you can’t sit down right now, e.g. B. on public transport, ask others for help to avoid a sudden fall.
In most cases, those affected recover spontaneously and quickly. When the victim regains consciousness, calm them down and have them lie with their legs up for at least 10 minutes.
__If you find yourself unconscious for too long, there are certain signs that indicate an emergency:
- The person does not regain consciousness and does not respond to being spoken to or shaken.
- She isn’t breathing.
- The pulse is irregular, very slow or not felt at all.
In these cases, you should call an ambulance (112). If the person is not breathing, you should begin CPR .
How long does vasovagal syncope last?
Although vasovagal syncope can seem threatening, it usually resolves quickly. The accompanying symptoms usually disappear quickly. It can take a good 15 minutes to restore blood flow to the brain, and that depends on the initiating event. To recover faster from a vasovagal episode:
- Sit down or lie down.
- Consciously tense the muscles in your legs and arms for 30 seconds and then relax them to increase circulation. You can repeat this as many times as required.
What to do if unconsciousness occurs repeatedly?
Vasovagal syncope usually recurs when exposed to the same trigger. However, this can also indicate underlying health problems. You should therefore have the causes clarified by a doctor if you repeatedly suffer from sudden unconsciousness.
