Autonomic nervous system - vagus nerve stimulation, sudden parasympathetic nervous system stimulation due to event
| BEFORE | DURING | AFTER |
|---|---|---|
| Prodrome * Hot or clammy * Sweaty * Heavy * Dizzy or lightheaded * Vision going blurry or dark * Headache | * Suddenly losing consciousness and falling to the ground * Unconscious on the ground for a few seconds to a minute as blood returns to their brain * There may be some twitching, shaking or convulsion activity, which can be confused with a seizure * There may be incontinence with both seizures and syncopal episodes. | Postictal period * Feeling groggy * Confused * Irritable * Disorientated |
Usually very benign causes but need to take a good history to rule things out