Triggers are Identified.
Your health care team will help you to learn what conditions make your symptoms worse. You will then need to avoid these triggers. Vigorous exercise, dehydration, going too long between meals, overheating and stress can all cause fainting. According to the Heart Rhythm Society, "Some people faint frequently in response to a variety of triggers such as sneezing, coughing, urinating and having a bowel movement." In addition you may need to avoid standing for long periods, rising too quickly after lying down, or crossing the legs when sitting. Your doctor may need to adjust the amount of certain medications you are taking that are known to exacerbate your condition. This is especially true for medications that lower blood pressure.
Fluid and Salt Intake are Increased
You will need to make sure you drink enough water and take in enough salt. The London Cardiac Institute states that you should aim to drink at least eight cups of water per day and up to twelve cups per day if you are able. In addition you may need to take two to four six hundred mg. sodium chloride tablets per day. If you are exercising hard or it is hot out, you may need to increase these amounts.
Tilt Training is Taught
The tilt training exercise involves standing and leaning up against a wall for 30 to 40 minute periods approximately twice per day. According to a study by the American Heart Association, this training improved symptoms in adolescents with this condition. The exercise is first performed in a hospital and the goal is to cause syncope. The training then continues until the body retrains itself to pump blood properly. Eventually if the training is successful, you will no longer have fainting spells at all.
Medication and Surgery May be Necessary
According to the National Institutes of Health, beta blockers are the most commonly used medications to treat neurocardiogenic syncope. Alpha agonists, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, fludrocortisone and disopyramide can also be used. In severe cases a pacemaker may have to be surgically put in place to help your circulatory system function properly.
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