If you’ve ever fainted, you know it can be a scary experience. Understanding why you fainted can help you manage your next spell of lightheadedness. We asked doctors to explain common reasons for fainting and lightheadedness—that specific but hard-to-describe feeling that you might pass out.
Here’s the good news: The majority of people who have fainted are absolutely fine, says Venkatesh.
Thiruganasambandamoorthy, M.B.B.S., senior clinician scientist and chief research information officer at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a professor in the department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine at the University of Ottawa.
Meet the Experts: Venkatesh Thiruganasambandamoorthy, M.B.B.S., senior clinician scientist and chief research information officer at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and a professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine at the University of Ottawa; Lawrence Phillips, M.D., a cardiologist at NYU Langone Cardiology Associates and an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine; Melissa Burroughs, M.D., a cardiologist with Wellstar Medical Group
Syncope (the medical term for fainting) is generally caused by the brain not getting enough blood for a short time.
“The cause can stem from many different parts of the body, including a person’s blood pressure going down, heart rate going down, and from neurologic reasons independent of the heart,” explains Lawrence Phillips, M.D., a cardiologist at NYU Langone Cardiology Associates and an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“We try to find out why the blood pressure or heart rate would go down. Some of these reasons are common and not worrisome, but others need more evaluation.”
Below, experts explain 10 common causes of fainting or lightheadedness.Tap To Read Complete, Article. .
