Sudden Illness - Fainting and Seizures

Unlike injuries, when a person suddenly becomes ill, it is often difficult to determine the exact cause of the illness and whether an emergency exists. In general, the person usually looks and feels sick, while experiencing other common symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, changes in level of consciousness, feeling lightheaded, dizzy, confusion, breathing problems, abdominal pain or even seizures.

While it may not be clear what is causing the symptoms, certain conditions warrant a call to 9-1-1, many of which we have discussed in previous modules:

Changes in consciousness
Difficulty breathing
Persistent chest pain possibly signaling a heart attack
Abdominal pain or pressure that does not ease
Severe bleeding
Vomiting or passing blood
Severe burns
Suspected injuries to the head, neck or spine
Obvious deformities or open fractures

Caring for sudden illness involves following the same procedures as you would with any emergency: Check, Call, Care.

Now let's take a look at some specific sudden illnesses that we have not yet covered.

Fainting

image of yes to sitting down, no to eating If you've ever fainted, you are not alone - at least one third of people faint sometime in their lives. Fainting, also known as syncope is a temporary loss of consciousness that can occur with or without warning. If an individual is about to faint, he or she will feel dizzy, lightheaded, or nauseous and their field of vision may "white out" or "black out." The skin may be cold and clammy. Loss of muscle control occurs at the same time, resulting in a fall. Most people recover quickly and completely.

Fainting usually happens when your blood pressure drops suddenly, causing a decrease in blood flow to your brain. This is more common in older people. Some causes of fainting include

Heat or dehydration
Emotional distress
Standing up too quickly
Certain medicines
Drop in blood sugar
Heart problems

Fainting is usually nothing to worry about, but it can sometimes be a sign of a serious problem. After fainting, an individual may be unconscious for a minute or two, but will revive and slowly return to normal.

Treatment

Fainting usually corrects itself. The immediate treatment for an individual who has fainted involves carefully lowering the person to the ground, loosening any tight clothing and checking to see if their airway is open and they are breathing. The person should remain lying down for at least 10-15 minutes, preferably in a cool and quiet space. If this isn't possible, have the individual sit forward and lower their head below their shoulders and between their knees. Do not give anything to eat or drink.

Seizures

Call 911 if:
Failure to regain consciousness after the seizure
The victim is pregnant, elderly, a young child or infant
Unknown cause of seizure
The victim has diabetes
The seizure takes place in water
It is the victims first seizure Seizures are symptoms of a brain problem. They happen because of sudden, abnormal electrical activity in the brain. When people think of seizures, they often think of convulsions in which a person's body shakes rapidly and uncontrollably. Not all seizures cause convulsions. There are many types of seizures and some have mild symptoms. Seizures fall into two main groups. Focal seizures, also called partial seizures, happen in just one part of the brain. Generalized seizures are a result of abnormal activity on both sides of the brain.

Seizures can have many causes, including medicines, high fevers, head injuries and certain diseases. People who have recurring seizures due to a brain disorder have epilepsy.

Most seizures last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes and do not cause lasting harm. However, it is a medical emergency if seizures last longer than 5 minutes or if a person has many seizures and does not wake up between them. Other circumstances that warrant a call to 9-1-1 include:

Failure to regain consciousness after the seizure
The victim is pregnant, elderly, a young child or infant
Unknown cause of seizure
The victim has diabetes
The seizure takes place in water
It is the victims first seizure

Often before a seizure occurs, the victim may feel an aura, which is an unusual sensation that typically precedes seizures. Auras may come in many forms, such as a strange taste in the mouth, tingling in the limbs, or the visual disturbance of "flashing lights"; often if the person is epileptic, they may be aware that a seizure is imminent and may tell others or sit or lie down to prevent injury.

Some common occurrences during a seizure include stopped or irregular breathing, body rigidness or convulsing, loss of bladder or bowel control, confusion, upward rolling of the eyes, holding breath, change in consciousness and drooling. Seeing a seizure may be a frightening experience which may cause you hesitation to act to aid the victim. However, the victim usually recovers on their own and it is very easy to provide care.

Care

In general, we want to focus on preventing injury and making sure the airway is open and the person is breathing after the seizure has ended.

Never attempt to hold or restrain them in any way to stop their seizure - the victim is unaware that it is occurring and is unable to control it. Attempting to restrain an individual having a seizure may result in injuries to both you and the victim.
Do not attempt to stick anything into the victim's mouth - the victim will not swallow their tongue and sticking something in their mouth can cause further injury or death. The tongue may obstruct the airway during the seizure, but this is normal.
Remove any furniture or objects from the area to protect the victim from injury.
Request that all bystanders move away (persons having a seizure are often embarrassed after their seizure)
Check the airway. If liquid is present in the mouth, place the victim in the recovery position to let it drain from the mouth.
After the seizure, the victim will slowly "awaken." Ensure that bystanders are away and offer reassurance for the victim. Victims who have a seizure in public are often self-conscious about their condition. The victim will be very tired after his seizure.
Continue to reassure the victim until he or she is fully aware of the surroundings or until EMS arrives.

Fainting vs. Seizures Review

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