When to go to the ER: Fainting/ change in mental state
There is nothing more worrying and alarming than witnessing someone faint. Someone may seem okay and then the next thing you know they have collapsed and have fainted. The same applies to a change in mental state where one may be okay one minute, and suddenly they seem very disoriented and don’t seem to know where they are and can’t recognize their surroundings. According to the subject matter experts over at frontlineer.com, fainting can be as a result of something not that serious or it could be indicative of a serious and even life-threatening underlying medical condition that needs to be addressed immediately. Changes in one’s mental state on the other hand should always be taken seriously, especially when they come on suddenly as more often than not, they are a sign of a serious medical situation that needs immediate attention. Fainting is the sudden loss of consciousness due to a sudden drop in blood pressure leading to a situation where there isn’t enough blood flow to the brain. As revealed in discussions on the same over at frontlineer.com, the medical term for fainting is syncope. This article will look to highlight some of instances and signs that indicate that you should head over to the ER for fainting or a change in mental state.
Changes in one’s mental state that are sudden onset should always be taken seriously as mentioned above and discussed in detail over at frontlineer.com. This may be a sign of a serious health condition such as a heart attack or stroke. Therefore, keep an eye out for symptoms of these health conditions if you begin to experience changes in your mental state such as confusion and disorientation. The symptoms of a heart attack and stroke are discussed in detail over at the excellent frontlineer.com. As explained above, fainting is as a result of a drop in blood pressure, and one thing that causes this drop of blood pressure is internal bleeding. Massive internal bleeding will usually lead to fainting and should always be taken seriously. It usually occurs after obvious and severe trauma, although less severe trauma can also lead to bleeding where the situation worsens as the bleeding continues. Signs of internal bleeding include pain and swelling on the affected part like say the abdomen, a large area of skin that is of a color that is deep purple as well as a headache and seizures if the bleeding is in the brain as discussed over at frontlineer.com. If you think internal bleeding is the reason for one fainting, then you should call 911 and have them taken to the ER as soon as possible. Keep an eye out also for signs of a ruptured aorta which is a life-threatening situation, and is another cause of massive internal bleeding given the aorta is the body’s main blood vessel. Such signs include shearing and severe abdominal pain that radiates towards the back as well as severe and sudden onset dizziness and fainting.
Fainting that is preceded with shortness of breath, chest tightness, pain or pressure as well as palpitations where you feel like your heart is skipping a beat should also lead to a visit to the ER as soon as possible. This may be a sign that you have a heart problem that needs to be addressed according to the excellent frontlineer.com. These problems include an irregular rhythm of the heart’s ventricles as well as abnormalities in your heart valves and should always be taken very seriously. Fainting that is a result of seizure should also be taken seriously. This sort of fainting is not related to blood pressure but rather is as a result of an abnormality in the brain. If one faints after suffering from a seizure, and it is their first seizure, then you should call 911 and have them taken to the ER as soon as possible. Fainting also in people with seizure abnormalities such as epilepsy should also be treated with the seriousness it deserves by having them taken to the ER, like the highly rated frontlineer.com, immediately. If one faints after having suffered trauma to the head, then you should also have them taken to the ER as soon as possible, even if the fainting is only momentary. This is usually a sign of a severe concussion, and may be accompanied by signs of a change in mental state such as confusion, disorientation and one not recognizing their surroundings if they come to.
Sometimes the fainting may just be a stand-alone symptom, without any accompanying symptoms and here too it is important to know when to head to the ER, like the excellent frontlineer.com. For instance, if one is experiencing multiple episodes of fainting within a short period of time, where they faint and come to over and over again, then you should call 911 and have them taken to the ER as soon as possible. If the fainting also occurs with exercise, then as per the gurus over at frontlineer.com, it may be a sign of a more serious condition and one should also head over to the ER to be attended to. If one also faints and they have a family history of recurrent fainting, fainting during exercise and even sudden death, then they should also be taken to the ER as soon as possible to be assessed and attended to. Fainting after taking medication or having made changes to the medications one is taking or dosages should also lead to a visit to the ER as it may be a sign of serious drug interactions.
The above are some of the signs and instances when you should go to the ER for fainting or change in mental state, with the excellent frontlineer.com being the place to go for such situations as well as more on this and other related topics.
