In some cases, vasovagalsyncopea typically brief episode of passing outcan also occur.
This article explains the vagal response and its causes.
What Is the Vagus Nerve?
Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin
The vagus nerve is the longest nerve in the body.
It runs from the brain stem to the chest and abdomen.
Vagal Response Causes
The vagal response is aneurocardiogenicresponse.
The vagal response causes your blood pressure and heart rate to drop suddenly.
When this happens, the blood vessels in your legs may dilate, or widen.
All of these changes can result in less blood flow to your brain.
Vasal Response Triggers
There are a variety of triggers that can set off the vagal response.
Some are internal, while others come from the environment.
These include:
The strength of the vagal response and the resulting symptoms vary from person to person.
With this, a person faints due to a drop in blood pressure and blood flow to the brain.
Vasovagal syncope can cause a person to pass out.
The loss of consciousness typically only lasts for a couple of minutes.
As blood flow returns to the brain, the person will wake up and return to normal consciousness.
A vagal response that causes syncope isn’t usually serious.
To prevent this from happening, attempt to keep yourself relaxed.
Sit on the toilet with your head down and your legs crossed.
This may help to keep your blood pressure steady.
Often, this response is triggered by certain things like stress, pain, and fear.
Symptoms of the vagal response include dizziness, nausea, ringing ears, and sweating.
In some cases, it can make you pass out.
This is called vasovagal syncope.
Always tell your healthcare provider about these symptoms so that they can check for any other conditions.
Raj S, Sheldon R.Management of postural tachycardia syndrome, Inappropriate sinus tachycardia and vasovagal syncope.Arrhythm Electrophysiol Rev.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Syncope (Fainting).
Raj S, Sheldon R.Management of postural tachycardia syndrome, inappropriate sinus tachycardia and vasovagal syncope.Arrhythm Electrophysiol Rev.
2016;5(2):122. doi:10.15420/aer.2016.7.2
