The most common cause of blacking out is fainting. Other causes include epileptic seizures, syncope due to anxiety (psychogenic pseudosyncope) and other rare causes of faints. Other causes of blacking out may be due to low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) and lack of oxygen (hypoxia) from a variety of causes.
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What makes you blackout for no reason?
Most unexplained blackouts are caused by syncope
Many people, including doctors, assume that blackouts are due to epileptic seizures, but much more commonly they are due to syncope (pronounced sin-co-pee) – a type of blackout which is caused by a problem in the regulation of blood pressure or sometimes with the heart.
Should I be worried if I blackout?
Frequent alcohol-related blackouts might be a sign of problem drinking. If you or someone you know has blackouts that involve loss of memory or consciousness and you don’t know why, see a doctor right away. Blackouts can be a sign of a serious medical condition.
What are blackouts symptoms of?
Generally, a blackout is described as a period of unconsciousness or lack of awareness when you are unable to recall what happened or what you did. Blackouts may occur as a result of brain damage, drug side effects, excessive alcohol consumption, or disorders affecting brain function, such as epilepsy.
What happens to your brain when you blackout?
Alcohol-related blackouts are gaps in a person’s memory for events that occurred while they were intoxicated. These gaps happen when a person drinks enough alcohol to temporarily block the transfer of memories from short-term to long-term storage—known as memory consolidation—in a brain area called the hippocampus.
What drugs can cause blackouts?
Benzodiazepines (such as flunitrazepam, midazolam, and temazepam), barbiturates (such as phenobarbital), and other drugs which also act as GABAA agonists, are known to cause blackouts as a result of high dose use.
Can anxiety cause blackouts?
A psychogenic blackout can be difficult to diagnose. Most often it occurs in young adults as a result of stress or anxiety. However, the link between blackouts and stress may not be obvious.
Can stress cause blackouts?
Excessive alcohol use, stress, medication, and epilepsy can all cause blackouts. While blackouts are a frightening experience, treatment can allow people to lead a normal life without the fear of falling unconscious or losing their memory.
Are blackouts serious?
It may not be serious, but it is important to see your doctor and try to establish the underlying cause. If you have a blackout, you lose consciousness temporarily. Before that, you might fall down, have blurred-vision, or be confused.
How long does a blackout last?
When this happens, this is known as an alcoholic blackout. It can leave people completely unable to remember where they were, who they were with, and what they were doing. An alcohol blackout can last just minutes, or it can last for several days.
Can low blood pressure cause blackouts?
They happen as a result of low blood pressure. Because not enough blood reaches the brain, you pass out. The blackouts are the same as faints and the two terms can be used for the same thing. Blackouts are often due to low blood pressure, a condition called vasovagal syncope, which is where your…
Can you act normal during a blackout?
During a blackout, an intoxicated person can still function as normal. They may seem articulate because most parts of the brain are alcohol-tolerant. They can still eat, walk, hold conversations, have sex, drive, and get into fights. They just can’t record any of the memories.
What should I do if I keep blacking out?
If you are with someone who has fainted, try to keep calm. If you can, lay them on their back and raise their legs. Usually, the person who has fainted will wake up within 20 seconds.
What do you do during a blackout?
Power Outage Tips
- Keep freezers and refrigerators closed.
- Use a generator, but ONLY outdoors and away from windows.
- Do not use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.
- Disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from electrical surges.
Should I go to the ER after fainting?
If you’ve hit your head when fainting, are excessively bleeding, or are in pain and seemed to have broken a limb, have someone drive you to an emergency care clinic or call for an ambulance.
What are the 10 signs of low blood pressure?
Symptoms of low blood pressure
- Dizziness or lightheadedness.
- Nausea.
- Fainting (syncope)
- Dehydration and unusual thirst.
- Dehydration can sometimes cause blood pressure to drop. However, dehydration does not always cause low blood pressure.
- Lack of concentration.
- Blurred vision.
- Cold, clammy, pale skin.