Fainting is a temporary loss of consciousness caused by interference of the blood flow to the brain due to emotions, pain, hunger, low blood pressure, hypoglycemia, hyperventilation, heat exhaustion, pregnancy, lack of fresh air, over heating and weakness. It may also be concomitant to other more serious illnesses such as internal or external bleeding, stroke, or some hidden pathology. If a faint last more than a few minutes, or is becoming more frequent, seek medical attention. Some individuals a prone to fits of fainting, especially those of a hysterical, nervous temperament.

When a person faints it is necessary to check to see if they are breathing, or have injured themselves while falling. If they are breathing, loosen any tight clothing, and put them in the recovering position (refer). When they have regain consciousness give them the emotional support they need and let them sip some cold water. If the person remains unconscious for more than a few minutes they may be suffering from a dangerous illness and need medical support. Call you doctor or 911 immediately. Monitor the victim's pulse and respiration every five minutes and keep a close eye on their breathing. Be prepared to give artificial respiration (refer) or CPR (refer ), if necessary, until help arrives.

Materia Medica

Aconite (3): Violent palpitation of heart, congestion of blood to head, buzzing in ear, fainting as soon as patient raises himself from recumbent position, with chills and deathly paleness of face, which was previously red. Vertigo, < worse on rising and shaking head. Fainting due to fright.

Champhora (2): Icy surface, sudden sinking, filiform pulse. Face may be red while lying, but, if raised up, turns pale and patient faints. Although icy cold, he throws off clothing as soon as he is strong enough to move, even if still unconscious. Vertigo with tendency toward unconsciousness, feeling as if they are going to die. Icy coldness of the whole body. Worse < motion, night, contact, cold air.

Carbo Veg (2): Fainting after sleeping, while yet in bed, or after rising in morning. Fainting from dehydration. Faintness with great weakness, on slight exertion, with palpitations of heart, afterwards sleepy. Sluggish, fat and lazy. Aversion to darkness. Worse < cold, damp weather.

Chamomilla (3): Fainting with dizziness, darkness of sight, hard hearing sensation of qualmishness and faintness in pit of stomach. Hot sweaty forehead. Fainting caused by severe pain. Fainting from giddiness, anger, hysteria, sudden emotion. Impatient, intolerant of being spoken to, snappish. Worse < by heat, anger, open air, wind, night. Better > from being carried.

China (3): Fainting from dehydration and loss of blood. Dizzy when walking. Apathetic, indifferent, and despondent. Worse < from loss of vital fluids.

Cocculus (3): Faint from lack of sleep, jet lag, motion sickness. Vertigo, nausea, especially when riding in a car, on shipboard, or on rising. Worse < eating after loss of sleep, open air, smoking, riding , swimming, touch, noise, jar, afternoon, menstrual period, and after emotional disturbances.

Coffea (1): Suitable to sensitive persons, and if the symptoms cause by fright fail to be relieve by Aconite. Fainting due to over excitement. Unusual activity of mind and body. Worse < sudden emotions, joy, narcotics, strong odors.

Digitalis (3): Vertigo and dim vision precede the faint, pulse very slow, nausea and deathly weakness in epigastrium. Heaviness of head, sensation as if they would fall backward. Fainting with heart problems. Worse < when sitting erect, after meals and music. Better > when stomach is empty, in open air.

Elaps (1): Remedy made from Coral-snake. Disposition to faint, especially on stooping or vomiting mucus, sensation as if all the blood collected in head, with cold hands.

Hepar Sulph (3): Paroxysm sets in during evening, preceded by vertigo. Hypersensitive, fainting from even minor pain. Very chilly. Slightest cause irritates him. Worse < cold, dry winds, cool air. Better > wrapping up the heat, form warmth, after eating.

Ignatia (3): Fainting brought on by intense emotions or emotional shock. Fainting in crowd room,, before menses, fright. Hysteria and over excitement. The affects of grief and worry. Can not bear tobacco smoke. Worse < morning, open air., after meals., coffee., smoking..

Ipecac (3): Fainting with persistent nausea and vomiting, from loss of blood or vital fluids. Worse < periodically, most, warm weather, lying down.

Lachesis (3). Tendency to faint in women, apparent death, neither pulse nor breathing perceptible after a pain in heart, from fright or grief. Asthma, vertigo, pale face nausea, vomiting, pains and stitches in cardiac region cold sweat, spasms, trismus, stiffness and swell of body, etc.. Fainting from closed rooms., menopausal period, during menses., before menses., hysteria., over excitement. Worse < after sleep.

Laurocerasus (2): Long lasting faints, no reactive power, face pale-blue, surface cold. Fluids force down throat, roll audibly into stomach. As if faint is attendant upon some poison in system. Regain color very slowly, fainting from cardiac weakness.

Moschus (3): The fainting set in at night, or into open air, with pulmonary spasms or succeeded by headache. Hysteria and nervous paroxysms, fainting fits and convulsions, catalepsy. Much nervous trembling and frequent fainting. Vertigo on least movement, sensations as if falling form a great height. Uncontrollable laughter, sexual hypochondriasis. Weak pulse with fainting. Worse < cold. Better > in open air, rubbing.

Nux Moschatas (3): Marked tendency to fainting fits, with heart failure. Strange feeling with irresistible drowsiness. General inclination to become unconscious during acute attacks. Stagger on trying to walk. Changeable nature, laughing and crying. Bewildered sense, as in a dream. Cold extremities, extreme dryness of mucous membranes and skin. Worse < motion, jar.

Nux Vomica (3): The fainting sets in principally in the morning, or after meal. Suitable for pregnant females or persons worn out by mental labor or addicted to hard liquors. Generally when nausea, pale face, scintillation's before the eyes or obscuration of sight, pains in the stomach, anguish, trembling and congestion of blood to the head or chest are present, followed by great debility and restlessness. Worse < morning, mental exertion, after eating, touch, spices, stimulants, narcotics, dry weather, cold. Better > from a nap, if allowed to finished it, in evening, while at rest, strong pressure.

Opium (2): Fainting from fright. Depressed nervous system, drowsiness, stupor, painlessness, sluggishness, and lack of vital reaction. Eyes half closed, red, bloodshot, with contracted, insensible pupils. Worse < heat, during and after sleep. Better > cold things and walking.

Phosphoric Acid (2). Debility, producing a nervous exhaustion. Mental debility leads to physical weakness. The faint set in after a meal. Useful when Nux-v. fails. Listless, apathetic., indifferent. Effects of grief and mental shock. Worse < exertion from being talked to, loss of vital fluids, sexual excesses. Better > keeping warm.

Pulsatilla (3): Fainting in a closed or crowded room. The patient seeks the open air, always feels better there, even if they feel chilly. Thirstless, peevish and thirsty. Suits mild, gentle, yielding dispositions. Worse < from heat, rich food, after eating, towards evening, warm rooms. Better > open air, motion, cold application, cold food and drinks even though they are not thirsty.

Sulphur (3): Faintness about noon or 11 a.m. she can not wait for her meal. Flushes of heat, head on the top of the heat, dislike of water, sinking feeling at stomach about 11 a.m., dry hair and skin, and cat nap sleep. Hot sweaty hands and burning of the feet. Worse < at rest, when standing, from alcoholic stimulants, periodically. Better > lying on the right side, drawing the affected limbs up.

Tabacum (2): Weakness and faint spells, nausea, giddiness, deathly paleness, cold perspiration, dilated pupils and trembling of limbs. Pulse intermittent pulse. Confusion of mind, vertigo, or falling down. Pulse is weak and soft. Worse < opening eyes, evening, extremes of heat and cold. Better > uncovering, open fresh air.

Veratrum (3): The faint set in after the least motion, or are preceded by great anguish or despondency, or attended by spasms, lockjaw, convulsive motions of the eyes and eyelids etc.. Cold perspiration on the forehead. Extreme coldness, blueness, and weakness. Delusions of impeding misfortune. Worse < at night, wet, cold weather. Better > walking and warmth

Repertorium

FAINTING - ACON., Camph., Carbo-v., CHAM., CHIN., COCC., coff., DIG., elaps., HEP., IGN., IP., Op., LACH., Laur., MOSCH., NUX-M., NUX-V., Phos-ac., PULS., staph., SULPH., Tab., VERAT..

blood, loss of - Acon., carbo-v., ip., lach., CHIN., verat..

closed room - Acon., ip., Lach., PULS., Tab..

crowded room - Ign., Nux-m., nux-v., PULS., sulph.

dehydration - Carbo-v., CHIN., IP., nux-m., nux-v., PH-AC., Verat.

giddiness - cham, hep.

menopausal period - ACON., chin., cocc.

Disclaimer: This information is supplied for educational purposes only. It is not for the treatment of any individual person or disease. If you are suffering any particular complaint please consult a physician or call emergency services.