Title: Blackouts - Symptoms, Causes, Treatments
Headings: Blackouts
Blackouts
What are blackouts?
What other symptoms might occur with blackouts?
Nervous system symptoms that may occur along with blackouts
Other symptoms that may occur along with blackouts
Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition
What causes blackouts?
Traumatic causes of blackouts
Substance-related causes of blackouts
Disease and disorder causes of blackouts
Serious or life-threatening causes of blackouts
Questions for diagnosing the cause of blackouts
What are the potential complications of blackouts?
About The Author
Healthgrades Editorial Staff

Content: Typically, full consciousness promptly returns. Blackouts can also be due a recent traumatic event, in which case you may forget everything that happened right before or right after the event (anterograde amnesia). Unexplained blackouts, or blackouts that appear to be due to injury or trauma, should be evaluated by a medical professional. Blackouts may occur with a variety of other symptoms, depending on the underlying cause or disorder. Sometimes, the memories from blackouts can be recovered, while other times, they cannot. It is also possible that blackouts can lead to problems forming new memories. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) for memory loss that occurs with head injury or trauma, high fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit), uncontrolled or heavy bleeding, loss of consciousness, or seizure. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you believe a person may have alcohol poisoning or may be suffering from a drug overdose. If your blackouts recur or cause you concern, seek prompt medical care. What other symptoms might occur with blackouts?