In the past, doctors and patients didn’t take a TIA as seriously as a stroke. But today that has changed, and a TIA or mini-stroke is treated as a medical emergency.
Most people who have a stroke never see it coming. The stroke occurs without any warning of the impending danger. However, some people are fortunate enough to get a warning that could save their life -- if they heed the signal.
The warning comes in the form of a transient ischemic attack (TIA), often called a mini-stroke, because it causes stroke-like symptoms that are not as severe or long lasting as the symptoms of a full-blown stroke. A TIA usually lasts only a few minutes and does not cause any permanent brain damage.
But don’t be fooled. A TIA is just as much of a medical emergency as a stroke. That is because about a third of people who suffer a TIA go on to have a stroke in the days, weeks, or months that follow. Fortunately, by receiving immediate treatment for a TIA, you can reduce your chances of having a full-blown stroke.
The signs and symptoms of a TIA are the same as those of a stroke and include the sudden onset of:
- Weakness or numbness of the face, arms, or legs, often affecting only one side of the body
- Confusion, slurred or garbled speech, or difficulty understanding what someone else is saying
- Blurring or blindness in one or both eyes
- Dizziness, trouble walking, or loss of balance or coordination
- Severe headache with no obvious cause
These symptoms rarely last more than 20 minutes and usually go away after a few minutes. When the symptoms last more than 24 hours, the attack is considered a stroke.
Just like a stroke, a TIA is a medical emergency. That means calling 911 at the first signs or symptoms, even if the symptoms last only a few minutes, which they often do. You might feel that being attended to and rushed off to the hospital by paramedics once the symptoms have subsided is making a mountain out of a molehill. But keep in mind that an immediate, thorough medical evaluation -- and treatment based on that evaluation -- is the best way to reduce your risk of a full-blown stroke. In addition, if you happen to experience a full-blown stroke while in the hospital (about 6% of TIAs are followed by a stroke within 48 hours), you can be given the emergency stroke drug t-PA within the three-hour window and your chances of a full recovery will be greatly improved.
