It’s not every day that we witness someone pass out. Thus, it’s not surprising that we wonder what to do after someone faints. However, because the loss of consciousness could happen anytime and anywhere, we must know the appropriate first aid steps. In this article, we’ll talk about what to do after someone faints.

What Causes Fainting Spells (Syncope)?

Be Ready to Catch the Person Before They Fall

The first step is to ensure the safety of the person by catching them before they fall and hit their head. But to be able to effectively do that, you need to be vigilant. Remember: a person is more susceptible to fainting if:

• They have a medical condition that may result in loss of consciousness. These include anemia, low blood sugar, pregnancy, and other heart diseases.
• A person is in extreme pain.
• A person is in an upsetting situation and they are severely worried, angry, scared, or sad.
• The individual is in a very hot environment.

In case you were not able to catch the person, immediately check if they have suffered from injuries, especially head injuries.

What to do after someone faints? Read on to find out.

Help the Person Lie Down

What to do after someone faints? The next step is to help them lie down on their back. If the patient is wearing tight-fitting clothes, loosen them.

The ideal position is to have their head at a slightly lower level than their heart. You can achieve this by raising their legs by about 8 to 12 inches. This position helps because it promotes blood flow to the brain. If someone collapses while they are seated, help them lie down, too.

Check the Person’s Vitals

What to do after someone faints? After helping the patient lie down, check their vitals. Checking the vital signs is important in assessing the patient’s current health. The things you have to check are the patient’s respiration and heart rate.

To assess their respiration, see the rise and fall of their chest or listen to their breaths. To check for their heart rate, feel their pulse.

If the patient is not breathing and you do not feel any pulse, do chest compressions or look for someone who can perform it. At the same time, call for medical help. Ideally, you’ll continue performing chest compressions until help arrives.

Roll Them on to Their Side

What to do after someone faints and you ascertain that they are breathing?

Experts say the next step is to roll them to their side. Repositioning the patient on their side will help ensure that their tongue will not fall back into their throat and prevent them from breathing. However, be careful in doing so, especially if you know that the person has an injury that may worsen if you move them.

Please follow these other guidelines after you reposition the patient:

• Make sure that their head is level. You can place a pillow or any soft object to support their neck.
• Keep the airway open. Additionally, make sure that the surrounding environment is ventilated. If there are a lot of people, ask them not to crowd the patient.
• You can try to apply a moist towel on the patient’s face and neck, especially if you suspect that the reason for fainting is heat exhaustion.

Heat Stroke First Aid

Monitor the Person’s Status

Now, your next question would be, what to do after someone faints and they regain consciousness?

The correct thing to do is to make sure that they continue to lie down. Instead of sitting up immediately, give them some time to rest and recover.

Afterward, continue to monitor their status by checking their breathing and pulse rate. If you or someone present knows how to take a blood pressure reading, you may also do that. Assessing their status is an important step because there’s a possibility that the person will collapse again.

If the cause of fainting is due to distressing emotions, try your best to calm the person. On the other hand, if you suspect that an underlying health concern is causing the fainting spells, head to the hospital immediately and consult a doctor.

What You Shouldn’t Do After Someone Faints

Now, let’s talk about the things you shouldn’t do. Remember that you should NEVER:

• Slap or shake them to wake them up. What you may do is tap them on the shoulder and ask “Are you okay?” to see if this will help them regain consciousness.
• Throw water on the patient
• Shout at them
• Give them anything to eat or drink until they are fully conscious

Quick Tips if You Yourself Feel Faint

At this point, you must be wondering: I know what to do after someone faints, but what if I feel faint? If you feel like you’re about to pass out, do the following:

• Lie down with your legs slightly raised. If it’s not possible to lie down at the moment, sit and lower your head between your knees.
• Drink a glass of water.
• Eat something if you feel hungry and lightheaded and do not feel nauseous.
• Practice deep breathing.

Once you feel better, don’t get up immediately and take some time to regain your physical strength.

Key Takeaways

What to do after someone faints? First, you need to try to catch them to avoid fall injuries. After, help them lie down and check for their vitals. If they are breathing, roll them to their side and continue to monitor their status. If the cause for their fainting is unknown, head to the hospital.

Learn more about First Aid here.