Micturition syncope


The temporary loss of consciousness upon urinating. (Syncope is the temporary loss of consciousness or, in plain English, fainting). The situations that trigger this reaction are diverse and include having blood drawn, straining while urinating (micturition syncope) or defecating or coughing or swallowing). The reaction also can be due to the emotional stress of fear or pain.

Under these conditions, people often become pale and feel nauseated, sweaty, and weak just before they lose consciousness.

Situational syncope is caused by a reflex of the involuntary nervous system called the vasovagal reaction. The vasovagal reaction leads the heart to slow down (bradycardia) and, at the same time, it leads the nerves to the blood vessels in the legs to permit those vessels to dilate (widen). The result is that the heart puts out less blood, the blood pressure drops, and what blood is circulating tends to go into the legs rather than to the head. The brain is then deprived of oxygen, and the fainting episode occurs.

The vasovagal reaction is also called a vasovagal attack. And situational syncope is also called vasovagal syncope, vasodepressor syncope, and Gower syndrome after Sir William Richard Gower (1845-1915), a famous English neurologist whose name is also associated with a sign, a solution, another syndrome, and a tract in the central nervous system.

Read Also:

  • Midbrain aqueduct

    The lateral ventricles are in the cerebral hemispheres. Each lateral ventricle consists of a triangular central body and four horns. The lateral ventricles communicate with the third ventricle through what is called the interventricular foramen (opening). The third ventricle is a median (midline) cavity in the brain that is bounded by the thalamus and hypothalamus […]

  • Middle ear

    A part of the ear that consists of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) and, beyond it, a cavity (tympanum). This cavity is connected to the pharynx (nasopharynx) via a canal known as the Eustachian tube. The middle ear cavity also contains a chain of three little bones, the ossicles (the malleus, incus, and stapes), which connect […]

  • Middle ear infection, acute

    a bulging eardrum usually accompanied by pain; or a perforated eardrum, often with drainage of purulent material (pus). Otitis media is the most frequent diagnosis in sick children in the U.S., especially affecting infants and preschoolers. Almost all children have one or more bouts of otitis media before age 6. The eustachian tube is shorter […]

  • Midget

    A very small person (or thing). Midget is a picturesque but somewhat disparaging term. It is the diminutive of midge (the insect), and who wants to be a mini-midge? A more correct term today for a very small person is dwarf or little person. The notion that a midget is (as some dictionaries state) a […]

  • Midlife crisis

    A period of personal emotional turmoil and coping challenges that some people encounter when they reach middle age, accompanied by a desire for change in their lives, brought on by fears and anxieties about growing older. The phrase “midlife crisis” was introduced in 1965 by the psychoanalyst and social scientist Elliott Jaques in a study […]


Disclaimer: Micturition syncope definition / meaning should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. All content on this website is for informational purposes only.