What to do if you faint (and what not to do)

When a person faints, observe if he is breathing and if he has a pulse and, if he is not breathing, he should ask for medical help, calling 192 immediately, and start cardiac massage. Here's how to do heart massage correctly.

However, when someone faints but is breathing, first aid is:

1. Lay the person on the floor, belly up, and place the legs higher than the body and head,about 30 to 40 centimeters from the floor;
2. Loosen clothes and open buttons for easier breathing;
3. Communicate with the person, even if they don't respond, mentioning that you are there to help them;
4. Watch out for possible injuries caused by the fall and if bleeding, stop the bleeding;
5. After recovering from fainting, 1 sachet of sugar,of 5g, can be given directly into the mouth, under the tongue.

If the person takes more than 1 minute to wake up, it is recommended to call an ambulance through the number 192 and check again if he is breathing, starting cardiac massage, if not.

When you regain consciousness, being able to hear and speak, you should sit for at least 10 minutes before walking again, as you may faint again.

What not to do in case of fainting

In case of fainting:

• Do not give water or food as this may cause suffocation;
• Do not offer chlorine, alcohol or any product with a strong smell to breathe;
• Do not shake the victim, as a fracture may have occurred and worsen the situation.

When in doubt, the best thing to do is just wait for medical help, as long as the person is not in danger and is breathing.

What to do if you feel like you're going to faint

If there are symptoms that you are going to faint, such as pallor, dizziness and blurred vision, it is recommended to sit and keep your head between your knees or lie on the floor, on your back, and put your legs higher than the body and head, as in addition to preventing a possible fall, it also facilitates blood circulation to the brain.

You should also try to breathe calmly and try to understand the reason for the feeling of fainting, avoiding, if possible, the factor that caused the fainting, such as fear or heat, for example, and you should only get up 10 minutes later and only if symptoms no longer exist.

When to go to the doctor

After fainting, and if it was not necessary to call for medical help, it is recommended to go to the hospital if:

• Fainting recurs during the following week;
• This is the first case of fainting;
• Showing signs of internal bleeding, such as black stools or blood in the urine, for example;
• Symptoms such as shortness of breath, excessive vomiting or speech problems appear after waking up.

These can be symptoms of a serious he alth problem, such as heart disease, neurological disease or internal bleeding, for example, so it is very important that the individual goes to the hospital in these cases. Learn about the main causes and how to prevent fainting.