Often, people may experience what is commonly called a “mini-stroke” or “warning stroke” before experiencing a subsequent stroke. Clinically, this is called a transient ischemic attack or TIA.
Some experts take issue with this wording, primarily because a TIA is just as serious as a stroke and still needs to be treated. According to the American Heart Association, nearly one in five people suspected of having a transient ischemic attack will have a full-blown stroke within 90 days.
“TIA symptoms are stroke-like symptoms that typically last a few minutes due to an interruption in blood supply to part of the brain,” said Dr. Larry Goldstein, co-director from the Kentucky Neuroscience Institute.
While the traditional definition of TIA symptoms says they go away within 24 hours, the majority of TIAs are brief, lasting less than an hour, he said.
Below, experts share the warning signs of a transient ischemic attack and what to do if you experience symptoms:
Balance difficulty and weakness
One of the most common signs of a TIA is difficulty and weakness with balance. Usually, it can happen on one side of your body, said Dr. Hardik Amin, associate professor of neurology and medical director of stroke at Yale New Haven Hospital.
Vision loss
Individuals may also experience “loss of vision in one or both eyes, or double vision,” Goldstein said.
This does not necessarily mean seeing nothing. Double vision, also known as diplopia, occurs when you can see two images of the same object while looking at it.
Face drooping or numbness
Another symptom is facial drooping or loss of muscle control on one side of your face. You may feel numbness and it may be difficult to smile or move parts of your mouth. This may resemble Bell’s palsy, a condition that causes the same type of facial paralysis. Although a stroke usually causes other symptoms, it’s still important to get checked out right away, even if it’s the only problem you’re having.
Arm weakness
According to Goldstein, arm weakness is another possible warning sign of a TIA. Lifting objects and raising your arms may seem like a difficult task, especially if you’ve never had difficulty doing these things before. This symptom also usually occurs on one side of the body.
Speech abnormalities
People may have difficulty producing a speech or finding the right words, Amin said. The words may sound muddled or muddled, to the surprise of the speaker and those close to them.
A TIA is an emergency and anyone who experiences one should seek medical attention immediately. The good news is that “the risk of stroke can be significantly reduced with targeted treatment,” Goldstein explained.
Doctors can perform brain and blood vessel scans, assess heart function and screen for cardiovascular risk factors that increase the risk of stroke, according to Amin.
“Treating conditions such as plaque, cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, diabetes and others can significantly reduce the risk of a future stroke, which could lead to significant disability or even death,” a- he noted.This article was originally published on HuffPost.
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