You are walking with your friend along the road, perhaps catching up after a long time.
As you are talking, happy and excited, the unexpected happens; they faint.
To many, this might be a moment of panic and confusion as they would not be able to tell the next action to take.
Health experts say an individual can faint when the brain fails to receive enough blood for a brief time.
As a result, the person loses consciousness and becomes unresponsive; making them fall hence it should be treated as a medical emergency.
According to St John’s Ambulance, people often faint as a reaction to pain, exhaustion, hunger or emotional stress.
“It is also common for people to faint after they have been standing or sitting still for a long period of time, especially if they’re feeling hot,” St John’s Ambulance says.
Online medical site Mayo Clinic on the other hand advises that should you feel like you are going to faint, you should sit or lie down and rest for a while to reduce the chances of fainting.
Should you decide to sit, you are advised to place your head between your knees.
However, in the event that someone you are with faints, you should position the person on the back.
“If there are no injuries and the person is breathing, raise the person's legs above heart level if possible. Prop up the person's legs about 12 inches (30 centimeters). Loosen belts, collars or other tight clothing,” the site says.
Should the person fail to regain consciousness despite the first aid, call for an emergency help to ensure they are taken to a medical facility for specialised treatment as soon as possible.
But in the even that they regain their consciousness, make sure the person does not get up quickly to minimise the chances of them fainting again.
“Check for breathing. Check for a pulse and to see if the person is breathing. If the person is not breathing, begin CPR. Call 911 or your local emergency number,” it says.
“Continue CPR until help arrives or the person begins to breathe.”
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating as it helps the person stay alive until the medical emergency arrives.
It involves chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth (rescue breaths) that help circulate blood and oxygen in the body.
