Author: Gary Jackson

Fainting: Causes, Symptoms and When to see a Doctor

Additionally, blackouts may occur at far lower thresholds among younger populations. That’s largely because the parts of your brain responsible for decision-making aren’t fully matured until around age 25. Despite this, intentional binge drinking has been a common practice among young adults.

Alcohol blackouts

In cases of severe alcohol intoxication, a person may need emergency assistance. A 2006 study found that temporary memory loss caused by a fall in blood pressure (syncope) is a more likely cause of nonalcoholic-induced blackouts. The difference between a brownout and a blackout is that brownouts involve partial memory loss. With a brownout, you may be able to remember certain details from the period of time you were affected, but other portions of time can’t be recalled. It isn’t the same thing as a seizure but it is common to get “jerky” movements even in a simple faint, especially if sitting or slumped with the head up. You come around after a few seconds and feel back to normal.

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A person who has blacked out or overdosed on alcohol could throw up while sleeping due to the loss of reflex control. This could cause them to choke and suffocate on their vomit. It’s important to note that there isn’t a set number of drinks that can trigger a blackout.

Examples of heart problems include abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and narrowing of the heart valves. The faint may be preceded by chest pain or the sensation of having a ‘thumping heart’ (palpitations) and may happen during exercise. If a person experiences blackouts as a result of stress, this is known as a psychogenic blackout.

How common is fainting?

Prolonged blackout, confusion after the event, incomplete recovery and tongue biting all suggest that the cause is not a simple faint. You may also black out after a fall or blow to the head or due to excess alcohol or street drugs. Blackouts may accompany other symptoms, which vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition. This seemingly aware state can make it difficult for other people to recognize if a person is in a blackout. It’s important to remember that a blackout isn’t the same as passing out.

Fainting is common at all ages and affects up to 4 in 10 people at least once in their lives. Most people (95%) have their first attack of syncope before they’re 40 years old. It is important to seek medical attention if you experience faints. Heart or blood vessel problems that interfere with blood flow to the brain.

What Happens When You Faint?

1. Seek immediate medical care (call 911)if you believe a person may have alcohol poisoning or may be suffering from a drug overdose.
2. It can happen when something triggers a reaction in your nervous system that slows your heart rate and lowers blood pressure, reducing blood flow to your brain and causing fainting.
3. A person who has blacked out or overdosed on alcohol could throw up while sleeping due to the loss of reflex control.

Usually, fainting happens for a reason, like when you’re in pain or have been standing for a long time in a hot place. Frequent blackouts may be a sign of an underlying medical condition. It can also be a sign that you have an alcohol use disorder. Drinking to the point of blacking out frequently can lead to other problems, such as issues with long-term memory. It can also make you more likely to injure yourself accidentally while intoxicated.

Fainting, also called syncope (pronounced SIN-ko-pee), is a sudden, brief loss of consciousness and posture caused by decreased blood flow to the brain. Fainting is a common problem, accounting for 3% of emergency room visits and 6% of hospital admissions. A person may feel faint and lightheaded (presyncope) or lose consciousness (syncope).

The hippocampus can’t develop long-term alcohol toleration. This means it can’t create memories when a blackout occurs. A blackout ends when your body has absorbed the alcohol you consumed and your brain is able to make memories again.

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You may be asked to have a heart tracing (an electrocardiogram, or ECG). Further tests of your heart and nervous system may be necessary. If you have it for the first time after 40, it is more likely to be due to a serious underlying problem. The most common cause is a common faint, also called neurally mediated syncope (NMS). When your blood alcohol level reaches 0.15%, you are likely to black out. This is nearly double the legal limit for driving in most states.

Health topics

If you’re experiencing a blackout or brownout, you’re at higher risk for falling, injury and unwanted or unsafe sexual experiences. A person who is blacked out may also throw up while sleeping, which could lead to an increased risk of choking or suffocating. Regardless of age, recent studies show more frequent blackout experiences are related to an increase in memory lapse and cognitive difficulties even after alcohol misuse is corrected. This means that even after a blackout occurs, you can continue to experience memory loss and other difficulties recalling memories.