A friend of mine has had a few times her her life when she has passed out ( during her labor(s) -all three of them.) and her husband would slap her face lightly to try to bring her around.
Today, their 10 year old daughter passed out and he was doing the same thing. (We think her period is getting ready to hit like a tsunami. She’s going to the doctor’s this AM) and my friend shouted at her husband, " Obviously, that doesn’t work."
Is this a Hollywood medical myth or is there some basis to slapping someone’s face to bring them around?
I think I am going to buy them smelling salts as a useful gag gift.
Well, if you’re going to hit someone, waiting til they pass out seems like a good idea
I’d guess it’s more of a “the toolbox is sort of limited so let’s try this” rather than a truly effective technique. But it’s possible that a person can slip from a syncope induced faint into a state of semiconsciousness from which they could be roused. And if they were going into shock, the external stimulus might be distracting enough to prevent that.
I heard from an ex-cop that vigorously rubbing the sternum area with your knuckles will wake up a passed-out drunk. (This was part of my on the job training.) I did try it on myself and even doing it lightly hurts like hell.
He didn’t tell me what to do though, after the (understandably pissed off) drunk wakes up. I’ll let you know when I found out. (Run? Maybe it only works out if you’re a cop?)
Taking two fingers and pressing **hard **on the upper lip at the cupid’s bow (angle up towards the nostrils a bit) is an effective acupressure technique for rousing a passed out person. Only remember to duck as you do it, 'cause they’ll come 'round a-swinging! I forgot that bit the first time and ended up with a nasty goose egg on the side of my head.
So far, I’ve done it on two drunks, one overdose, a diabetic and a congestive heart failure. Obviously, if someone has passed out, you need to get them emergency medical care immediately, but bringing them round can be done while waiting for an ambulance.
And, of course, you should never use any method to try to revive someone who’s fallen or otherwise potentially damaged their spine. Any movement you do to them, or they make while waking up, may damage things more.
The advice that you’re getting on sternal rubs is right, but it’s a nasty thing to do to someone. You end up with a pissed off, disoriented and pain-stricken person. There’s an even more effective one that involves a thumbnail and an orbital ridge, but it’s absolutely agonizing and I’m not gonna tell you how to do it.
Here’s a technique that’s kinder and a lot more effective than a slap. I used it for years in hospitals, plasma centers and labs. The trick is to raise their heels about 4 inches or so above the floor. A rectangular desk sized trash can is just about perfect for this. Tip it over, put it under their calves and they wake up in about 5 seconds.
Now for the optional stuff. Move up to where they can see your face without looking around (kneeling is better than standing) and start talking. They’ll have a few seconds where they won’t remember where they are, how they got there and what you’re doing there. Keep your sentences short and to the point. Ex. “_____ you passed out. You’re on the floor in the living room. Everything’s fine. Lay still.” Repeat a few times.
I pass out relatively frequently. (It’s a heart thing-- not dangerous, but frightening to see.) Slapping me does nothing. When I faint, my face feels numb. I’ll feel the sting later, after I’m awake and it does me no good. The best thing to do is just to leave me alone.
A person who has fainted will wake up in a few minutes on their own. There’s really no need to try to force them to conciousness. Elevate their feet, get a cool cloth to put on their heads, and check their pulse to make sure it’s normal, but otherwise, just be patient.
Not really! fainting is not normal for anyone. Lissa, I understand that in your particular case, you will (probably) wake up on your own, but that isn’t true in every case.
Slapping the face, patting the hand etc,is more for the patter than the pattee.
When someone faints, someone must check their pulse and breathing. As long as they have a steady pulse and they are breathing, then follow LuckyB’s suggestions.
But, what ever you do, please, please, be sure anyone who faints isn’t really trying to die.
Yes, but you have a confirmed breathing and alive drunk on your hands. Alcohol poisoning can be a fine line between smashed into oblivion and *actually *smashed into oblivion.
Although, as **picunurse **says, if you can confirm he’s breathing some other way, that might be nicer.
