Being prone to fainting is known as suffering from fainting spells or syncope. It's not that uncommon––indeed, fainting spells are experienced by around a third of healthy adolescents.[1] Fainting is a frightening experience, and if you experience it often, it can lead to much anxiety and stress. Being prone to fainting places you in danger of hurting yourself because it can happen at any moment. Read below the jump for information on dealing with fainting spells, hopefully making your next spell a bit safer.

If you have episodes of fainting, your doctor will first want a complete description of the symptoms and events surrounding these episodes. For instance, the doctor may ask:

Do these episodes come on suddenly or gradually? Are you standing, sitting, or lying down when you faint? Do you notice any other symptoms? How long does the episode last? Do you return to normal quickly after fainting, or are you momentarily confused? Your doctor may attempt to reproduce the symptoms by simulating the situation during which you usually have a fainting episode. For example, if you tend to faint after coughing, you may be asked to bear down forcibly, in order to see if this causes symptoms. You may have your pulse and blood pressure taken lying down and then again after quickly standing, in order to see what changes are provoked by these different positions.

This may be all the evaluation performed in an otherwise healthy child or young adult. But in some cases, your doctor may want to evaluate you further for a heart or brain problem.