To diagnose the cause of fainting, a healthcare professional will ask about:
- Eating and drinking before the fainting happened
- Fainting history and patterns
- Symptoms related to the fainting:
- Loss of consciousness or muscle tone
- Chest pain, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of heart problems
- Medications used
- Other conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson disease
If tests are needed, they may include:
- Multiple blood pressure measurements
- Measurement of heart rate and pulse in the neck
- Evaluations for heart disease
- Laboratory tests
- A tilt-table test, in which you are strapped to a table that moves from a lying down to an upright position. Changes in symptoms, blood pressure, or heart rhythm in different positions can help pin down the cause of your fainting.
Sometimes the healthcare professional will not be able to find a cause. This generally means the cause of your fainting is not life-threatening.
Last Updated December 2022