Treatment of mini-stroke

Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a circulatory disturbance that leads to oxygen deprivation in the affected area of the brain. The peculiarity of this condition is that its symptoms are similar to those of a stroke. These symptoms persist for up to 24 hours, after which they often disappear.

Since the manifestations and symptoms of this disorder are not permanent,a mini-stroke, unlike a stroke, does not cause permanent disorders and does not lead to disability. Even though all the consequences of a mini-stroke are reversible, the patient still needs an ambulance because it could just as likely be a stroke as they have similar symptoms. 

Knowing the characteristic symptoms, you will be able to call an ambulance in time. The main danger of TIA is that every third mini-stroke is a precursor of stroke, so medical care and examination of the patient is always necessary for the correct treating of mini-strokes. 

How to identify a mini-stroke?

The symptomatology of TIA is very similar to that of a stroke, but it can be difficult to detect because it disappears quickly, and the patient feels better. These symptoms include:

• Speech impairments. 
• Visual impairment – sudden visual impairment may occur
• Tingling sensation in different parts of the body
• Vestibular system disorders 
• Fainting
• Nausea, vomiting
• Headache
• Taste disorders
• Smell perception disorders
• General weakness
• Altered sensation in the extremities
• Limb motor dysfunction – this symptom may occur only on the right or only on the left side of the body.

If the person has any of these symptoms, it is necessary to call an ambulance immediately. In both mini-stroke and stroke, it is most crucial to get medical help as early as possible; this increases the chances of full recovery of the patient’s body.

Dysphasia 

Patients who have had a mini-stroke have a speech disorder. This disorder manifests itself in their difficulty pronouncing words, or sometimes there is no speech at all. Patients also complain that they are temporarily unable to understand speech. This symptom, like the others, is common in both mini-strokes and strokes, but in mini-strokes, it is often the only prominent symptom. 

Visual disturbances 

Visual disturbances are a common symptom of mini-strokes. The patient may have complete or partial blindness in one eye (a disorder called temporary monocular blindness or TMB for short). In addition to total blindness, color perception may become distorted, colors may become dim, and images may become blurred. 

In a mini-stroke, this disorder is transient, lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes. In this symptom, exposure of the eye to large amounts of light may aggravate the condition. The symptom often occurs if a mini-stroke has affected the part of the brain where the visual centers are located. 

What can provoke a mini-stroke?

As with strokes, the most common cause of mini-strokes is blood clots, which clog the blood vessels in the brain, thereby disrupting blood flow, resulting in oxygen starvation in that area of the brain and subsequent brain damage. Several other common causes can lead to a mini-stroke:

• High blood pressure 
• Atherosclerosis – the mechanism is similar to thrombosis; atherosclerotic plaques can form on the walls of vessels for a long time and consequently clog one of the vessels in the brain
• Carotid artery occlusion – often caused by blood clots or atherosclerotic plaques
• Diabetes mellitus
• High cholesterol 

Mini-stroke duration

The duration of a mini-stroke is relatively short, often with all symptoms disappearing within one day. Patients who have had a mini-stroke often go to the doctor without any symptoms. Therefore, the patient needs to remember what symptoms were bothering them. Even after the symptoms have disappeared, the patient should always go to the doctor because the mini-stroke has the same symptoms as a stroke, which is dangerous for life.  

Treatment of a mini-stroke 

Since mini-stroke has a short duration and its symptoms disappear on their own, treatment is aimed at normalizing the cerebral circulation and symptomatic treatment. It is important to remember that in most cases, a mini-stroke is a precursor to a stroke. So you need comprehensive treatment, not only for mini-stroke but also the body as a whole; for this, you may use drugs and physical therapy, and reduce the risks by altering your lifestyle.