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?
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Healthgrades Editorial Staff

Content: Blackouts may accompany other symptoms, which vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition. Nervous system symptoms that may occur along with blackouts
Blackouts may accompany other symptoms affecting the brain and nervous system including: Changes in hearing, taste or smell
Changes in mood, personality or behavior
Depression
Difficulty speaking
Dizziness or vertigo
Head injury
Headache
Loss of vision or changes in vision
Memory loss
Muscle twitching, spasms or seizures
Perspiration
Other symptoms that may occur along with blackouts
Blackouts may accompany symptoms related to other body systems including: Body aches
Fever
Nausea with or without vomiting
Palpitations
Weight loss
Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition
In some cases, blackouts may be a symptom of a life-threatening condition that should be evaluated immediately in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms including: Change in level of consciousness or alertness, such as passing out or unresponsiveness
Change in mental status or sudden behavior change, such as confusion, delirium, lethargy, hallucinations and delusions
Chest pain or pressure
Garbled or slurred speech or inability to speak
High fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit)
Paralysis or inability to move a body part
Respiratory or breathing problems, such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing or inability to breathe, labored breathing, wheezing, or choking
Seizure
Worst headache of your life
What causes blackouts? Blackouts may arise from a variety of conditions or events that affect the brain. Often, blackouts will result from a traumatic event or an event that involves head injury. Traumatic causes of blackouts
Blackouts may often be caused by trauma to the head or brain including: Complications of brain surgery
Concussion
Electroshock therapy
Injections and innoculations
Mild head injury
Phlebotomy (drawing a blood sample)
Traumatic emotional event
Substance-related causes of blackouts
Blackouts can also be caused by a variety of drugs and other substances including: