This can push the object farther into the airway. Continue CPR and keep checking to see if the object is dislodged until medical help arrives. DO NOT give an unconscious person any food or drink. DO NOT leave the person alone.
DO NOT place a pillow under the head of an unconscious person. DO NOT slap an unconscious person's face or splash water on their face to try to revive them. When to Contact a Medical Professional. Call or the local emergency number if the person is unconscious and: Does not return to consciousness quickly within a minute Has fallen down or been injured, especially if they are bleeding Has diabetes Has seizures Has lost bowel or bladder control Is not breathing Is pregnant Is over age 50 Call or the local emergency number if the person regains consciousness, but: Feels chest pain, pressure, or discomfort, or has a pounding or irregular heartbeat Cannot speak, has vision problems, or cannot move their arms and legs.
To prevent becoming unconscious or fainting: Avoid situations where your blood sugar level gets too low. Avoid standing in one place too long without moving, especially if you are prone to fainting. Get enough fluid, particularly in warm weather. If you feel like you are about to faint, lie down or sit with your head bent forward between your knees. Alternative Names. Patient Instructions. Concussion in adults - discharge Concussion in adults - what to ask your doctor Concussion in children - discharge Concussion in children - what to ask your doctor Preventing head injuries in children.
Recovery position - series. When a person faints, it's usually temporary and the person can be revived in a few minutes. Someone who is unconsciousness, however, won't respond to attempts to revive him. An unconscious person can't cough or clear his throat, which can be dangerous if something is stuck in his throat or airway. Fainting often results when blood flow to the brain is temporarily inadequate. This can happen as a result of stress, grief, overheating, dehydration, exhaustion, or illness; fainting may also occur after taking certain medications.
Standing for an extended period in very hot weather -- especially with locked knees -- can also make people pass out. Inactivity can cause blood to settle in the lower parts of the body, reducing the amount of blood flowing into the brain.
Soldiers standing at attention for long periods are prone to fainting, for example. Certain medications can lower blood pressure to a level that will trigger fainting. People with diabetes can sometimes lose consciousness if their blood sugar levels are too high or too low.
Many people recover very quickly from a brief loss of consciousness without any harmful consequences. However, on some occasions, fainting can signal a medical emergency. Don't treat fainting as minor unless you're certain there is no serious underlying cause. When these signs appear, it is important to lie down or to sit down and put your head between your legs. That's usually enough to restore adequate blood flow to the brain. If it is very hot, try to move to a cooler location.
Loss of consciousness that lasts for more than a minute or two can be serious, however. Often it is a sign of a serious medical problem, such as seizure, serious blow to the head, concussion, heart attack, diabetic coma, epilepsy, or another condition.
It is important to treat someone who has fainted or lost consciousness with care to avoid injury. If someone remains unconscious for more than a minute, get help as quickly as possible. Some fish and amphibians reduce their awareness but do not ever become unconscious like the higher vertebrates do. Insects do not appear to sleep, although they may become inactive in daylight or darkness. By studying brainwaves, it is known that reptiles do not dream. Birds dream a little. Mammals all dream during sleep.
Different animals sleep in different ways. Some animals, like humans, prefer to sleep in one long session. Other animals dogs, for example like to sleep in many short bursts. An awake and relaxed person generates alpha waves , which are consistent oscillations at about 10 cycles per second.
An alert person generates beta waves , which are about twice as fast. During sleep, two slower patterns called theta waves and delta waves take over. Theta waves have oscillations in the range of 3. As a person falls asleep and sleep deepens, the brainwave patterns slow down. The slower the brainwave patterns, the deeper the sleep -- a person deep in delta wave sleep is hardest to wake up. At several points during the night, something unexpected happens -- rapid eye movement REM sleep occurs.
Most people experience three to five intervals of REM sleep per night, and brainwaves during this period speed up to awake levels. If you ever watch a person or a dog experiencing REM sleep, you will see their eyes flickering back and forth rapidly. In many dogs and some people, arms, legs and facial muscles will twitch during REM sleep. REM sleep is when you dream. If you wake up a person during REM sleep, the person can vividly recall dreams. If you wake up a person during NREM sleep, generally the person will not be dreaming.
A REM session -- a dream -- lasts five to 30 minutes. Medicine can hamper your ability to get a good night's sleep. Many medicines, including most sleeping medicines, change the quality of sleep and the REM component of it. A person who gets just a few hours of sleep per night can experience many of the same problems over time. Two other things are known to happen during sleep. Growth hormone in children is secreted during sleep, and chemicals important to the immune system are secreted during sleep.
You can become more prone to disease if you don't get enough sleep, and a child's growth can be stunted by sleep deprivation. But the question remains -- why do we need to sleep? No one really knows, but there are all kinds of theories, including these:. Both the brain and the body are refreshed and ready for a new day. Why do we have such crazy, kooky dreams? Why do we dream at all for that matter? Dreaming is important. To learn more, check out How Dreams Work.
Someone who is asleep will respond to stimuli. One way to determine if someone is sleeping is by talking to them. Kneel or bend next to the person and gently say their name, tell them to open their eyes, or ask them if they are all right.
Repeat this for five minutes or until the person wakes up. If you can hear me, open your eyes. Gently shake the person. Place your hand on their shoulder and gently shake them. You can do this in combination with saying their name or asking if they are awake.
Do not shake them aggressively, shake their head, slap, or flick their face. Make a loud noise. Turning on the radio or TV, closing the door, loudly tapping on something, or playing an instrument may prompt someone to wake up, as well.
This may startle the person or cause damage to their hearing. Method 2. Look for symptoms of unconsciousness. If the person wakes up, then check for the following symptoms: amnesia, headache, confusion, lightheadedness, drowsiness, or a rapid heartbeat. Also, check to see if they have the ability to move all of their body parts. If incontinence is present, then call emergency services.
Unconsciousness is caused by major illness or injury, substance or alcohol use, or choking on an object. Brief unconsciousness, or fainting is caused by dehydration, low blood sugar, temporary low blood pressure, or even serious heart or nervous system problems. Ask them questions. If the person wakes up, you will need to determine how alert they are. You will need to call emergency services or a doctor immediately.
If you witness the person fainting—collapsing with a brief period of unconsciousness—and exhibiting a change in mental status, the person has chest pain or discomfort, is experiencing pounding or irregular heartbeat, cannot move their extremities, or has vision problems, then seek emergency medical help.
Check their breathing. If the person is unresponsive, place one hand on their forehead and tilt their head back gently.
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