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Unconsciousness - causes and signs
contents
- sign
- The reasons
- Serious causes of unconsciousness
- How is unconsciousness??
- heart failure
- loss of blood
- What helps?
- Sports
- avoid stress
- sun protection
- Each one according to his abilities
- First aid
Fainting leads to falls and can cause injuries. Though unconsciousness is heralded by nausea, heat, a gut, or weak knees, sometimes she hits us without any signal. We can faint anytime, anywhere - on the wheel of a car at 160 km / h, as when we cross a busy road. Fatal accidents as a result of powerlessness are therefore a real danger.
Many people have already fainted in their lives and often no serious illnesses are the cause. But it always requires a medical check. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com) sign
All signs of powerlessness can also be symptoms of other complaints. These include dizziness, drowsiness, loss of orientation, poor eyesight (in which we see, for example, blurry, stars flicker before our eyes or we can not estimate distances), sweaty hands and nausea.
With these symptoms, they should lay flat and put their legs up. As a result, the blood flows from the legs to the heart and the blood pressure increases. You can avoid fainting or at least shorten it. In addition, if you lie, you can not fall.
The reasons
Fainting does not necessarily indicate serious illnesses. The triggers can be harmless: they jump out of bed too quickly in the morning, they are exhausted after physical work; Her body is overheated (this includes fainting during a so-called sunstroke), or she is suffering from negative stress. Even emotional arousal can lead to unconsciousness: Fainting at the sight of the dream man or the dream woman is not an invention of Hollywood directors and paramedics have relevant experience with teenagers who have a black out at concerts by Tokio Hotel.
Unconsciousness among enthusiastic fans at concerts is still a relatively widespread phenomenon. (Image: bernardbodo / fotollia.com) More serious are fainting spells as a result of cardiac arrhythmia, drug and alcohol abuse, illness or medication. Sudden fainting that recurs is a serious symptom, and you should see a doctor as soon as possible to prevent it from happening.
Fainting with harmless triggers can also have psychological consequences: About one third of all people who lose consciousness suffer from compulsive anxiety and even clinical depression. Those affected avoid situations that remind them of powerlessness or could be potentially dangerous: for example, they no longer drive or retire to the desk. Some are afraid to be alone, others panic when crossing streets.
Serious causes of unconsciousness
Disorders of cerebral blood flow can also be triggered by abrupt movements, heat and exertion, but sometimes there are far worse symptoms: Brain injuries or a stroke, cerebral hemorrhages or clogged blood vessels are among the serious diseases in the brain that can cause fainting.
Another cause are disorders of the metabolism: poisoning by drugs, alcohol and medications, diabetes, liver weakness or thyroid disorders. Also disturbances of the brain function come as a cause in question: This can be a brain tumor or a brain inflammation.
One of the possible triggers of unconsciousness is, for example, a stroke that is a life-threatening event. (Image: Henrie / fotolia.com) A brief fainting attack is usually due to a short-term disruption of cerebral circulation. That is, one of the nervous systems that controls cardiac function temporarily overrides, especially on the heart or carotid arteries. Martial artists, for example, learn to knock an opponent out of action by punching the edge of the hand against the carotid artery.
How is unconsciousness??
The consciousness narrows so far that the senses of the affected ones fail, and they can no longer control parts of their body. For example, they fall off their stools because they can no longer control their muscles or shit their pants because the sphincters fail.
In this case, sufferers do not fall in all forms of unconsciousness. In some cases, they retain control over certain areas of their body. Typical are falls in epileptic seizures, diabetic patients and patients with increased intracranial pressure.
Epileptics but also know seizures in which their consciousness is "only" disturbed, but not completely suspended. Even small blood clots in the brain lead to such a short-term disruption of the blood circulation in the brain, that the affected are indeed dazed for a moment, but not completely faint. These people see everything around them "like through a veil".
Who faints for a moment, often remembers exactly how he was sick or suddenly a "shadow in front of the eyes" appeared, it "flickered" in front of her eyes or the edges of her field of vision narrowed. Longer loss of consciousness, however, is usually associated with amnesia.
heart failure
Fainting, combined with chronic Atemnnot are a warning sign of a heart failure. The heart muscle is unable to channel the oxygenated blood into the muscles.
loss of blood
High blood loss almost automatically leads to unconsciousness. Here are not the accesses to the brain blocked, but there is not enough blood left that could fill the vessels. It only helps to stop the flow of blood from the wound immediately and a blood transfusion.
What helps?
If the powerlessness occurs because of a basic disease such as diabetes, epilepsy, heart failure or brain diseases, then the disease itself must be treated. However, short one-time powerlessness can well prevent them with prudent behavior.
Sports
Sport in moderation strengthens the cardiovascular system and circulates the brain, because the blood receives more red blood cells and transports more oxygen. The blood flows better and absorbs more oxygen. The cells have more mitochondria that convert energy sources into energy. Also, the body uses the oxygen more effectively, because the capillaries around the alveoli become denser, and more oxygen comes from the lungs into the blood.
Avoid abrupt movements, especially if you were previously in rest position. After sleep, the circulation takes some time to "get going". If you jump too fast out of bed, you can in the worst case interrupt the circulation in the brain.
avoid stress
Control negative stress. Do tasks one after another and do not try to do everything at the same time. When overwhelmed with fears, look at the reality, design a "worst case scenario" and think about what might actually happen. Interrupt indoor activities by taking walks in the fresh air. Take a deep breath, oxygen is one of the best triggers to keep your blood flowing.
sun protection
Prepare systematically for strenuous tours in hot countries. Cover your head, carry enough drinking water with you and keep a linen cloth at hand to provide shade in treeless plains. If you are not used to physical work, make sure you have sufficient breaks. This not only prevents fainting, but also increases work performance.
Each one according to his abilities
Avoid extreme sports if you are not properly trained. If you start exercising, then do the exercises only until you feel the first pain or you can not breathe more evenly. If "old hands" in the gym laugh at them for that, change the studio. Every responsible coach will advise you never to overload yourself.
When you're exhausted, do not be lulled by perseverance such as "we all had to go through". It's her organism, and maybe the "others" ended up in the hospital after a circulatory collapse.
Handle drugs and alcohol with care: a light intoxication may be pleasant, but it is not to lose consciousness during alcohol poisoning. Beware of, in the literal sense, "coma drinking".
If people around you become unconscious, you should get first aid and contact an emergency doctor quickly. (Image: M.Dörr & M.Frommherz / fotolia.com) First aid
If someone else faints in their presence, use first aid. Put the human in a stable lateral position and, if possible, bring the legs into an elevated position so that the blood can flow into the brain. Call an ambulance in any case. You do not decide if it is a harmless trigger or a serious illness. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)