Understand Blackouts: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

  • Blackouts symptoms are the lack of consciousness or the total or partial loss of memory, feeling dizzy and blurred vision.
  • Possible causes of fainting include smoking and drinking a large amount of alcohol.
  • Brain damage, drug side effects, excessive alcohol use, or disorders like epilepsy can cause fainting.
  • Blackouts can be due to recent traumatic events, resulting in forgetting everything before or after the incident.

Types of blackouts

Alcohol blackouts

  • Two types of blackouts can happen when you drink alcohol: block and fragmentary.
  • When someone drinks a lot of alcohol, they can experience a block blackout, which means they won't remember anything they did while they were drinking.
  • On the other hand, fragmentary blackouts only affect certain parts of the memory so that a person can piece together their memories with the help of prompts.

Syncope blackouts

  • There are two main types of syncope blackouts: neural and cardiac.
  • Syncope, or fainting, can occur for different reasons. Neurally-mediated syncope is not severe and doesn't require treatment.
  • Cardiac syncope is serious and may indicate a heart problem. Seek medical help for cardiac syncope to avoid complications or sudden cardiac death.

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Epilepsy

  • Epilepsy is a disorder that causes seizures due to disrupted brain activity.
  • Not everyone with epilepsy experiences a loss of consciousness during seizures. Seek appropriate care and support based on individual needs.

Major symptoms of blackout

  • Dizziness
  • Blurred vision
  • Fall down
  • Be sweaty
  • Look pale

Causes of blackouts

The potential causes of severe or life-threatening blackouts can include traumatic events, substance abuse, and various diseases and disorders.

Blackouts can arise from a variety of conditions or events that affect the brain. Often, fainting will result from a traumatic event or an event involving a head injury.

Traumatic causes of blackouts

  • complications of brain surgery
  • Concussion
  • Electroshock therapy
  • Injections and inoculations
  • Mild head injury
  • Phlebotomy
  • Traumatic emotional event

Substance-related blackouts

  • Alcohol intoxication
  • Side effects of medications.
  • Cleaning chemicals or pesticides
  • Recreational drug use

Diseases and Disorders

Life-threatening blackouts

  • Arrhythmias
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Disorders of the heart valves
  • Myocardial infarction
  • Seizures, Serious infection
  • Stroke, Traumatic injury

How to Diagnose?

If a person experiences fainting from syncope, a doctor may order an electrocardiogram to see if there are any underlying problems with the heart. If the doctor suspects that a person has epilepsy, they can go with an MRI or CT Scan. These imaging methods allow the doctor to analyze brain activity and rule out other neurological disorders.


How to Treat?

  • Alcohol intoxication can cause unconsciousness or even a coma. Get emergency help if the condition worsens.
  • Fludrocortisone can alleviate fainting in people with neurally mediated syncope. Sit or lie down if you feel like you're about to faint.
  • Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) helps people with psychogenic blackouts by identifying stress triggers and using coping techniques.

When should I visit a doctor?

A person should speak to a doctor if they think they are experiencing symptoms of syncope, epileptic fainting, or fainting spells that result from medication. In cases of severe alcohol poisoning, a person may need emergency help. Most people will resume their everyday lives with medication. If a person's fainting spells are related to an underlying medical condition, they should stop once the person receives treatment to control the condition.


How to Prevent?

Besides abstaining from alcohol, moderation and pace are essential to preventing blackouts. Avoid binge drinking, which is defined as having five or more drinks in about two hours for men or four or more drinks for women.

To avoid blackouts, you must:

  • Eat a vital meal or snacks before and during alcohol consumption.
  • Drink slowly. Sipping, rather than gulping, will help you keep track of how alcohol affects the body.
  • Hydrate your body: Consider drinking a glass of water between alcoholic drinks to limit how much and how quickly you consume alcohol.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are Blackouts?

A blackout is when you suddenly lose consciousness or memory, usually due to a decrease in blood pressure or insufficient blood flow to the brain.

2. How long do blackouts last?

Most power outages will end almost as soon as they start, but some can last much longer, days or even weeks.

3. Do seizures cause you to pass out?

A seizure occurs when there is an increase in this electrical activity. This causes several physical symptoms, such as muscle twitching, visual disturbances, and fainting. Seizures can affect the entire brain.

4. Are the blackouts serious?

The possible complications of blackouts depend on the underlying cause. Because fainting can be caused by serious illness, failure to seek treatment can lead to serious complications and permanent damage.

5. Can depression cause syncope?

Several studies have found that psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, and panic attacks are linked with syncope, in particular vasovagal and unexplained syncope.

6. What are the symptoms of blackouts?

  • fall down
  • blurred vision
  • feel confused
  • feel dizzy
  • look pale
  • feel anxious
  • be sweaty
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