So my mother was trying to open a package with kitchen shears and they slipped and she kinda stabbed her thumb. The cut wasn't too deep but enough that it didn't count as a slice. She kept her arm raised above her head for the next 10 minutes until she finally said she felt like she was going to faint. She lost very little blood so what was the reason she felt as though she was going to faint. Was it possible shock, or could it have been a chemical produced by the body to aid the injury in some way that causes a faint effect? Please be descriptive... if it is because of a chemical, what is the chemical? Thank you!
2007-12-04 14:32:46 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Injuries
Some people are just sensitive to pain and/or the sight of blood, so much that it might make them feel faint. She'll be totally fine if she's had a tetanus shot within the past 5-10 years. If she hasn't had a recent tetanus shot you should encourage her to go to the doctor's and get one soon.
A hormone called epinephrine which is also called adrenaline is released from your adrenal glands when the body faces sudden stress, fear or intense emotion. Epinephrine produces the "flight or fight" response that makes your heart pound.
Epinephrine causes blood to be diverted to stuff like your muscles and heart. This causes a temporary drop in the amount of blood reaching the brain, often leading to light-headedness.
You can potentially go into shock from psychological distress, but I wouldn't say your mother was in shock.
2007-12-04 14:38:26 · answer #1 · answered by Lauren 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know what chemical that is, but the same thing happened to me. I almost started hyperventilating over it. I think it bothered me so much that I felt the knife hit my bone. I felt faint. Luckily for me, my mom in law was there and she is a nurse. She was very comforting to me. so I got over it quickly once thumb was wrapped up.
2007-12-04 22:39:40 · answer #2 · answered by lauriehare 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many people don't like the sight of blood. Your mother probably felt like fainting because of a fear of blood.
2007-12-04 22:38:41 · answer #3 · answered by drshorty 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It probably really scared her. It was a small sort of shock.
i imagine that when she cut herself she got scared enough to produce adrenaline and that would increase the heart rate and probably caused the lightheadedness she felt.
2007-12-04 22:38:58 · answer #4 · answered by Slevin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋