When a person faints, you should first lay her on her back and make sure that she's breathing. Her feet should also be elevated, and any tight clothing should be loosened. You should also revive a person who has fainted either by shaking her gently or waving smelling salts under her nose. Once she wakes up, check to make sure she is coherent, and give her juice to drink. In some instances, it may be necessary to seek medical attention during or after providing first aid for fainting.
A person may faint for a number of different reasons, such as when standing up too quickly or if she hasn't eaten for several hours. Some people may even faint when they are under extreme stress or when they're in shock. Fainting can also occur if a person is suffering from low blood sugar or a heart attack.
When a person looks like she might faint, you should try to support her underneath the arms. This will often prevent an injury that can occur if the person loses consciousness and falls. Once a person loses consciousness, she should be lowered to the ground slowly.
If you are unable to support the person before she falls, the first thing that you should do when administering first aid for fainting is to lay the unconscious person on her back. You should then check to make sure that the person is still breathing. If not, you may need to administer rescue breathing, also called mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and call for an ambulance.
Try to ensure that blood can reach the unconscious person's brain. Elevating the feet by propping them up on pillows, for instance, can help blood flow from the lower part of the body to the upper part. Any tight clothing or belts that can restrict the flow of blood should also be loosened when providing first aid for fainting.
Although most individuals who faint may regain consciousness after only a few moments, you should try to revive a person who has fainted; you can try shaking the person gently until she wakes up, for example. Smelling salts are also handy to have while administering first aid for fainting. These salts are made from ammonium carbonate which, when mixed with water, produce a foul smelling gas that can revive an unconscious person.
When a person regains consciousness, you should help her try to sit up. Talk to her and make sure she is fully awake and aware of her surroundings. Once you have established that the person is coherent, you can try giving her something to drink, such as juice. Fruit juice may be especially helpful for someone who has low blood sugar, which can be caused by not eating or diabetes.
In some instances, simple first aid for fainting may not enough. A person who is convulsing or not breathing needs immediate medical attention. If a person does not regain consciousness after several minutes or is not coherent after regaining consciousness, you should get them to a doctor as soon as possible. Although fainting is usually nothing serious, individuals who faint frequently should also see a doctor, since this could be a sign of a more serious underlying medical condition.