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Fainting occurs when the blood supply to the brain is momentarily inadequate, causing a brief loss of consciousness. Fainting is usually caused by a relatively minor event such as the sight of blood, or just prior to receiving an injection.

Fainting can have no medical significance, or the cause can be a serious disorder. Therefore, treat loss of consciousness as a medical emergency until the signs and symptoms are relieved and the cause is known.

There are many causes of fainting, including:

• Standing for long periods
• The sight of needles
• The sight of blood
• Pain
• Emotional events
• Heat

• dizziness or feeling light headed
• nausea
• pale, cool and clammy skin
• anxious
• collapse
• loss of consciousness
• rapid recovery after being laid flat

Simple Faint

• if unconscious – recovery position
• raise the legs if possible
• if conscious – lay the casualty flat and raise the legs if possible
  if not fully recovered in a few minutes, call ‘000’ for an ambulance
• if the casualty was injured in the fall, treat any injuries appropriately

Heat Syncope

• recovery position
• cool casualty by fanning
• loosen and remove excessive clothing