Dear Mayo Clinic: I had a fainting spell the other day, which had never happened to me before in my 64 years. I don’t feel unwell, but a friend I was with at the time insists I should see my doctor.

Establishing the cause or causes of syncope serves two principal purposes. First, an etiologic diagnosis permits assessment of prognosis and risk of recurrence, both issues of great concern for ...

Fainting spell, passing out, swooning or syncope -- whatever you call it, losing consciousness is unpleasant, distressing and disorienting. It's also really common, occurring in about one-third of ...

Fainting at the sight of blood is a common physical response caused by temporary drops in blood flow to the brain, not fear. Known as vasovagal syncope, it occurs when the nervous system overreacts to ...

The ED evaluation of syncope necessitates obtaining a careful history to determine whether such causes as intoxication, sepsis, migraine, or seizure are likely. Physical examination will aid in ...

A blackout refers to a loss of consciousness or complete or partial memory loss. Possible causes of blackouts include epilepsy and drinking a large volume of alcohol. Some causes of blackouts ...

Waking up with paramedics hovering above you is an embarrassing interlude in the average day. That's probably the worst part about a fainting episode. You feel fine after a few minutes, and all these ...

And now an update on the science of swooning. NPR's Jon Hamilton reports on evidence that fainting can be caused by a newly discovered pathway between the heart and the brain. JON HAMILTON, BYLINE: ...

Dysautonomia describes a group of conditions affecting your autonomic nervous system. This system controls automatic functions of the nervous system, like breathing and heartbeat. Certain changes in ...

We have an update now on the science of swooning. I often swoon when I hear our theme music by B.J. Leiderman. NPR's Jon Hamilton reports on evidence that fainting can be caused by a newly discovered ...