Hi there
If you browse through some of the questions here you may find that there are many in relation to fainting or "near-fainting":
Should I be worried about frequent fainting episodes?
What should I do next if I'm prone to fainting and dizziness spells?
This shows how common this symptom is especially amongst the teenage age group.
Fainting has many causes though the vast majority are benign. The most likely cause is vaso-vagal, which usually occurs in young adults and has other features such as vomiting, sweating and greying of vision etc.
However it is important that you have a thorough history and clinical examination from a physician before we come to the conclusion. Some basic clinical tests may also be required. In some cases tests such as echo, Holter and tilt-table testing are done.
Treatment depends on the cause but there are measures you can take to avoid the episodes. If the episodes are fairly frequent and disrupting your quality of life the physician may recommend some medication, but again, in the vast majority, it is not required.
Hope this is of help.
Dr Nandakumar
