Man Faints From Uncontrollable Laughter, Rushed To Hospital: Here's What Happened
Remember those times with friends or family when you laugh so hard you feel like you might just pass out? Well, for one man in Hyderabad, that wasn't just a figure of speech. He literally laughed himself breathless, fainting from excessive laughter and had to be rushed to the hospital!
Remember those times with friends or family when you laugh so hard you feel like you might just pass out? Well, for one man in Hyderabad, that wasn't just a figure of speech. He literally laughed himself breathless, fainting from excessive laughter and had to be rushed to the hospital!
Laughter-induced fainting
One evening, a 53-year-old man in Hyderabad was enjoying a relaxed night at home. While sipping tea and watching a popular comedy show with his family, he started laughing uncontrollably. Suddenly, after a few minutes of continuous laughter, he fainted and had to be rushed to the hospital.
Representative image/ Unsplash
His doctor, Dr. Sudhir Kumar, shared on X, "Mr. Shyam lost control of the teacup, which fell from his hand. Soon after, his body leaned to one side, and he fell off the chair onto the ground."
After a few minutes, Mr. Shyam recovered and could move and speak normally. However, he had no memory of the incident. By the time he reached the emergency room, he had fully recovered, and his clinical examination was normal.
But how did laughter cause him to faint, and could it happen to anyone?
Diagnosis: Laughter-induced syncope
Dr. Sudhir Kumar diagnosed the condition as laughter-induced syncope, a rare occurrence caused by vasovagal mechanisms.
Excessive laughter increases chest pressure, reducing blood flow to the heart and triggering the baroreceptors.
Representative image/ Freepik
Baroreceptors are specialised sensory receptors located in the walls of certain blood vessels which help regulate it by sending signals to the brain to adjust heart rate and other factors to maintain blood pressure within a normal range.
This activates the vagus nerve (a major nerve that regulates many essential bodily functions, including heart rate and digestion), lowering the heart rate and causing blood vessels to dilate, which can result in a sudden drop in blood pressure and a brief loss of consciousness.
Dr. Kumar advised Mr. Shyam to avoid triggers like excessive laughter, prolonged standing, and strenuous physical activity.
The doctor also recommends staying well-hydrated and lying down if one felt dizzy or faint to maintain blood flow to the brain.
No medications were needed for this condition.
Check out Dr Sudhir Kumar's post here:
Laughter is the best medicine, however, in case of a 53-year-old, laughter resulted in a visit to emergency department
¡ª Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (@hyderabaddoctor) May 29, 2024
53-year-old Mr Shyam (name changed) was enjoying a nice evening with his family over a cup of tea. They were watching a popular comedy show on TV. Mr Shyam¡ pic.twitter.com/TZJAM45QpC
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