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Symptoms » Fainting
 

Fainting

Fainting: Introduction

Fainting: Feeling of lightheadedness and falling over. See free access online books about Fainting below. See detailed information below for a list of 1268 causes of Fainting, including diseases and drug side effect causes.

» Review Causes of Fainting: full list

Causes of Fainting:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Fainting. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

See full list of 1268 causes of Fainting

» Review Causes of Fainting: full list

Home Diagnostic Testing and Fainting

Home medical tests possibly related to Fainting:

Causes of Types of Fainting:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Fainting:

Review causes of types of Fainting in more specific categories:

See full list of 11 types for Fainting

Fainting: Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Fainting, as listed in our database. Visit the Symptom Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Symptom Checker

Symptom Checker

See full list of 4920 Symptom Checker combinations related to Fainting

Fainting Treatments

Some of the possible treatments listed in sources for treatment of Fainting may include:

Review further information on Fainting Treatments.

Alternative Treatments for Fainting

Alternative treatments or home remedies that have been listed as possibly helpful for Fainting may include:

Videos for Fainting

Epilepsy and Pregnancy

Epilepsy and PregnancyEpilepsy does not have to stand in the way of a pregnancy. The best way to ensure a safe and healthy baby is to discuss your treatment options with...

Epilepsy Treatment for Kids

Epilepsy Treatment for KidsIn the past, treating kids with epilepsy might have meant using a combination of drugs that had unwanted side effects. Now it's possible for kids...

 

Controlling Epilepsy Seizures

Controlling Epilepsy SeizuresDeciding on treatment for the seizure disorder epilepsy involves balancing several factors, including the kinds of seizures being treated and...

Surgical Therapy in Epilepsy

Surgical Therapy in EpilepsyChildren whose epilepsy is not controlled through medications may want to consider alternatives. Learn about one option that is growing in popularity.

 
See full list of 19 related videos

Stories from Users for Fainting

Real-life user stories relating to Fainting:

Message Boards for Fainting

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Fainting or relevant symptoms:

Diagnostic tests for Fainting:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Fainting. Some of these are listed below :

  • Physical examination
    • Observe for pallor of skin or conjunctiva. Moderate or severe anemia will cause lightheadedness and dizziness
    • Blood pressure taken when lying down and again after rapidly arising to standing position. Low blood pressure or postural drop in blood pressure can cause fainting
    • Complete cardiovascular examination. If there are irregularities of heart beat, heart murmurs or heart enlargement found may suggest cardiac arrhythmia, aortic stenosis and insufficiency, mitral stenosis, prolapse of the mitral valve or congestive cardiac failure as a cause of the fainting
    • Complete nervous system examination should be performed including visual acuity, inspecting for nystagmus, cranial nerve and cerebellar examination. If abnormalities are found may suggest multiple sclerosis, advanced brain stem tumor, acoustic neuroma or basilar artery insufficiency
  • Blood tests
    • Full blood count and electrolytes
  • more tests...»

See full list of 18 diagnostic tests for Fainting

Medications or substances causing Fainting:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Fainting as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

See full list of 827 medications causing Fainting

Drug interactions causing Fainting:

When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Fainting as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

  • Tamsulosin and beta-blocking drug interaction
  • Flomax and beta-blocking drug interaction
  • Nitroglycerin and alcohol interaction
  • Deponit and alcohol interaction
  • Minitran and alcohol interaction
  • Nitrek and alcohol interaction
  • Nitro-Bid and alcohol interaction
  • more interactions...»

See full list of 349 drug interactions causing Fainting

Fainting: Comorbid Symptoms

Some of the comorbid or associated medical symptoms for Fainting may include these symptoms:

All associated co-morbid symptoms for Fainting

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Fainting

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Fainting:

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Fainting. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

  1. How many times have you fainted?
  2. Was the event a true simple faint (syncope)?

    Why: fainting may be confused with drop attacks, seizures, narcolepsy. With a simple faint, the person falls to the ground and is unconscious for less than 2 minutes. Recovery is rapid. A few jerking movements are uncommon, but do occur. Occasionally may be incontinent of urine, never of feces.

  3. How long did the faint last?

    Why: e.g. a rapid return to alertness following a brief period of unconsciousness is characteristic of syncope or simple faint; drop attacks are episodes in which people suddenly fall to the ground without loss of consciousness and then immediately pick themselves up due to sudden attacks of weakness in the legs caused by vertebrobasilar insufficiency, Parkinson's disease or epilepsy.

  4. What were you doing at the time when you fainted?

    Why: e.g. fainting may occur after passing urine in middle aged men especially at night (micturition syncope), after breath holding or after severe coughing (cough syncope). Vertebrobasilar ischemia may precipitate a faint with turning of the head. Carotid sinus syndrome may cause elderly patients to lose consciousness on touching of the neck or turning the head. Effort syncope ( fainting on exertion) is due to a cardiac cause such as aortic stenosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

  5. Were there warning symptoms before the faint?

    Why: e.g. syncope or simple faint is preceded by warning symptoms of dizziness, faintness or true vertigo; epilepsy may be preceded by an aura which may be a strange feeling in the gut, or a sensation or experience such as déjà vu (a disturbing sense of familiarity); hyperventilation syndrome with blackout is preceded by rapid breathing, generalized paresthesia (pins and needles) or stiffening.

  6. more questions...»

See Diagnosis Checklist for Fainting (19 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Fainting) may include:

  1. Heart palpitations (either fast or slow)?

    Why: various arrhythmias can cause dizziness or fainting such as Stokes-Adams attacks caused by complete heart block, aortic stenosis and myocardial infarction. The loss of consciousness is sudden and is accompanied by pallor of the skin. Flushing of the skin may occur when the person recovers.

  2. Symptoms of postural hypotension?

    Why: e.g. feeling of faintness with standing from sitting position or sitting from laying position.

  3. Symptoms of panic attacks or panic disorder?

    Why: e.g. sudden, unexpected, short-lived episodes of intense anxiety. Panic attacks may be mistaken for fainting, as many people will perceive the various mental and physical symptoms of panic attacks as "fainting" or "swooning" although a panic attack raises the blood pressure and thus cannot cause a true low blood pressure faint.

  4. Epileptic seizure?

    Why: e.g. tendency to have spontaneous, intermittent convulsions of the body - may be mistaken for a faint.

  5. Symptoms of hypoglycemia?

    Why: e.g. sweating, hunger, tremor, drowsiness, personality change, seizures, loss of consciousness. May occur with diabetic patients on insulin or sulphonylurea oral medications.

  6. more symptoms...»

See Diagnosis Checklist for Fainting (19 listings)

Misdiagnosis and Fainting

Mild traumatic brain injury often remains undiagnosed: Although the symptoms of severe brain injury are hard to miss, it is less clear for milder injuries, or even those causing a mild concussion diagnosis....read more »

MTBI misdiagnosed as balance problem: When a person has symptoms such as vertigo or dizziness, a diagnosis of brain injury may go overlooked. This is particularly...read more »

Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Fainting

News Archives for Fainting

Medical news articles related to Fainting include:

Source: HealthDay News

Diagnostic Guides for Fainting

Medical Books Excerpts Read excertps from published book sections related to Fainting from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Fainting. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Fainting

Medical Books Excerpts
  • COMA
  • "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
  • DELIRIUM
  • "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
  • DIZZINESS
  • "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
  • SYNCOPE
  • "Algorithmic Diagnosis of Symptoms and Signs" (2003)
  • Aura
  • "In a Page: Signs and Symptoms" (2004)
  • Syncope
  • "In a Page: Signs and Symptoms" (2004)
  • Coma
  • "In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • Delirium
  • "In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • Syncope
  • "In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • Vertigo
  • "In A Page: Pediatric Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • DELIRIUM
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • DIZZINESS
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • SYNCOPE
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • Aura
  • "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
  • Dizziness
  • "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
  • Syncope
  • "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
  • Vertigo
  • "Handbook of Signs & Symptoms (Third Edition)" (2006)
  • Syncope
  • "A Pocket Manual of Differential Diagnosis" (1999)
  • Aura
  • "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
  • Dizziness
  • "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
  • Syncope
  • "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
  • Vertigo
  • "Professional Guide to Signs & Symptoms (Fifth Edition)" (2006)
  • Coma
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • Delirium
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • Dizziness
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • Syncope
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • Vertigo
  • "The 10-Minute Diagnosis Manual: Symptoms and Signs in the Time-Limited Encounter" (2000)
  • Coma
  • "Field Guide to Bedside Diagnosis" (2007)
  • Syncope
  • "Field Guide to Bedside Diagnosis" (2007)
  • Dizziness
  • "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
  • Syncope
  • "Alarming Signs and Symptoms: Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice Series" (2007)
  • Aura
  • "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
  • Dizziness
  • "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
  • Syncope
  • "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
  • Vertigo
  • "Signs & Symptoms: A 2-in-1 Reference for Nurses" (2007)
  • Vertigo
  • "The Diagnostic Approach to Symptoms and Signs in Pediatrics" (2006)
  • Aura
  • "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • Dizziness
  • "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • Syncope
  • "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • Vertigo
  • "Nursing: Interpreting Signs and Symptoms" (2007)
  • DELIRIUM
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • DIZZINESS
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • SYNCOPE
  • "Differential Diagnosis in Primary Care" (2007)
  • Syncope
  • "Pediatric Complaints and Diagnostic Dilemmas" (2003)
  • Syncope
  • "The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult" (2008)
 

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Fainting: Research Related Doctors & Specialists

Other ways to find a doctor, or use doctor, physician and specialist online research services:

Fainting: Undiagnosed Conditions

Conditions that are commonly undiagnosed in related areas may include:

Patient Surveys for Fainting

Causes of Fainting listed in Disease Database:

Other medical conditions listed in the Disease Database as possible causes of Fainting as a symptom include:

See full list of 1268 causes of Fainting
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Article Excerpts about Fainting

Syncope is the temporary loss of consciousness due to a sudden decline in blood flow to the brain. It may be caused by an irregular cardiac rate or rhythm or by changes of blood volume or distribution. Syncope can occur in otherwise healthy people. The patient feels faint, dizzy, or lightheaded (presyncope), or loses consciousness (syncope). (Source: excerpt from NINDS Syncope Information Page: NINDS)

Definitions of Fainting:

A spontaneous loss of consciousness caused by insufficient blood to the brain.
- (Source - Diseases Database)

Organs affected by Fainting:

The list of organs typically affected by Fainting may include, but is not limited to:

Detailed list of causes of Fainting

The list below shows some of the causes of Fainting mentioned in various sources:

See full list of 1268 causes of Fainting

How Common are these Causes of Fainting?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Fainting. Of the 1268 causes of Fainting that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

  • 9 causes are "very common" diseases
  • 14 causes are "common" diseases
  • 6 causes are "uncommon" diseases
  • 5 causes are "rare" diseases
  • 14 causes are "very rare" diseases
  • 1244 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 1268 causes of Fainting

Conditions listing symptoms: Fainting:

The following list of conditions have 'Fainting' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Conditions listing complications: Fainting:

The following list of conditions have 'Fainting' or similar listed as a complication in our database. The distinction between a symptom and complication is not always clear, and conditions mentioning this symptom as a complication may also be relevant. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Join in at the forums

Ask or answer a question about symptoms or diseases at one of our free interactive user forums.

Medical story forums: If you have a medical story then we want to hear it.

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Causes of Fainting Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Fainting based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient:

  • Travel - has the patient travelled recently?
  • Diabetes - history of diabetes or family history of diabetes?

    Doctors and specialists: Who should I consult about Fainting?

    Depending on the seriousness of the onset of Fainting, you may want to consult one of the following medical professionals.

    Important:In extreme cases, always seek advice from emergency services :

    What are the alternative names for Fainting:

    Presyncope, Syncope
    - (Source - Diseases Database)

    Classifications of Fainting:

    Subtypes of Fainting:

    Dizziness (1176 causes), Level of consciousness, decreased

    Medical Conditions associated with Fainting:

    Syncope (1590 causes), Level of consciousness symptoms (1002 causes)

    Symptoms related to Fainting:

    Dizziness (1176 causes), Lightheadedness (1176 causes), Syncope (1590 causes), Seizures (2137 causes), Giddiness (9 causes), Postural hypotension (8 causes), Pregnancy (450 causes), Vasovagal attack, Heat exposure, Heatstroke, Low blood pressure (341 causes), Orthostatic hypotension (14 causes), Hyperventilation (23 causes), Low blood sugar (85 causes)

    Medical articles on signs and symptoms:

    Doctor-patient articles related to symptoms and diagnosis:

    These general medical articles may be of interest:

    See full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis

    Medical News summaries about Fainting

    Our news pages contain the following medical news summaries about Fainting and many other medical conditions:

    Related medical articles from our Disease Center for Syncope:

    More Ways To Research Medical Signs and Symptoms:


     » Next page: Causes of Fainting

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