HealthInfo Canterbury
Funny turns or fainting
Ngā āhuatanga hanga rerekē, te hemo rānei
Fainting is when you briefly lose consciousness. This is also known as a blackout. A funny turn is a short period of feeling light-headed or dizzy.
Fainting or a funny turn are caused by reduced blood flow to the brain. Feeling faint comes on suddenly and lasts a short time, then you recover quickly.
Several things can trigger fainting, including:
- overheating
- standing still for a long time
- hunger
- exhaustion
- low blood pressure.
If you faint or have a funny turn, it's important to get yourself checked by a doctor. While not usually caused by something serious, fainting can be caused by an underlying health condition such as a heart problem or seizure.
What to do if you are feeling faint
The best thing to do is to lie down. If you can't lie down, try squatting, crossing your legs and squeezing them together or gripping your hands together and pulling.
What to do if someone is feeling faint or faints
If someone is feeling faint or has fainted:
- get them to lie down or sit down with their head between their knees
- if they're lying down, raise their legs above the level of their heart.
- loosen any collars, belts or tight clothing
- make sure they have plenty of fresh air – open a window or ask bystanders to move away.
Once the person has woken up:
- reassure them
- make sure they don't stand up too early or too quickly
- advise them to see a doctor if they faint regularly.
Important
If the person doesn't wake up after one minute, phone 111 and ask for an ambulance. Then follow the advice for helping an unconscious person.
Preventing fainting and light-headedness
If you're prone to fainting frequently, it's important to drink plenty of fluids and have regular meals.
Avoiding overheating is also useful.
Have more salt
If your fainting and light-headedness is caused by low blood pressure, you can slightly increase the amount of salt in your food. You can do this by sprinkling half a teaspoon of salt on your meal at night. Don't add more salt to your food if you're being treated or monitored for high blood pressure.
Wear tight clothing
If you faint quite often, especially when standing or just after exercising, it's a good idea to wear tight-fitting clothing below your waist. One of the best things to wear is compression sports clothing, commonly called Skins (their brand name). You've probably seen sportspeople wearing these.
Alternatively, you could buy below-the-knee compression stockings from your pharmacist. Ask for grade two compression stockings. You'll need to get these measured.
Also see Ways to prevent fainting & light-headedness.
Safety Issues
If you've fainted recently or are prone to fainting frequently, you may need to restrict your driving due to the risk to you and other road users. Check with your doctor whether it's safe for you to drive.
HealthInfo recommends the following videos
- St John Ambulance – Fainting Causes & Treatment: First Aid Training
A trainer identifies signs of fainting and demonstrates what to do.
- Medical Centric – Fainting, Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment
More detail about fainting, medically called syncope.
- Te Whatu Ora Waitaha – Vasovagal Syncope – Fainting and Funny Turns
A doctor explaining what vasovagal syncope is, what to do and how to prevent it.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- Te Whatu Ora Waitaha – Vasovagal syncope
More information about the causes and treatment of vasovagal syncope (the medical term for fainting). The leaflet also suggests ways you can help yourself avoid fainting.
On the next page: Ways to prevent fainting & light-headedness
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed June 2022.
SourcesReview key: HIFTF-25276
