Don’t Ignore Mini-Strokes – Find Out Why!

A mini-stroke (transient ischemic attack or TIA) occurs when the brain loses blood supply temporarily.  It’s not easy to see the differences between a stroke and a mini-stroke. Therefore, if you experienced one of these two problems, it’s important to consult a doctor.

Also, you need to know that the persons who suffered a mini-stroke can have a stroke, later in life. In this article, you will find information regarding mini-strokes.

Symptoms

A mini-stroke and an actual stroke have almost the same symptoms. Specialists affirm that the symptoms of a mini-stroke don’t last for a long period. The time varies between 24 hours to a few minutes.

The symptoms of a mini-stroke are the following: balance problems, dizziness, and confusion. Besides this, a person who suffers a mini-stroke has weak arms or half the body paralyzed. Also, if a person suffers a mini-stroke, he/she won’t be capable of talking or will have an incoherent speech.

There are instances when the person who experiences a mini-stroke has a blind eye for a few seconds or minutes. Seeing the surroundings gray or having a blurry vision are considered to be symptoms too.

Since the symptoms are practically the same for a mini-stroke and an actual stroke, it’s recommended to see a doctor immediately if you experienced one of these problems.

Risk factors

Men are more prone to suffer a mini-stroke than females. Also, African Americans and Native Americans have a greater risk to experience this condition. While the younger persons aren’t at a higher risk to suffer from this health problem, the older ones are. In addition, mini-strokes are part of the genetics, so it’s possible for you to experience one if a family member had this problem.

Smoking and drinking alcohol in excess increase the risk of suffering a mini-stroke. The major factor that can cause a mini-stroke is high blood pressure. Besides these factors, there are other health issues such as atrial fibrillation, obesity, diabetes or high cholesterol levels that can trigger a mini-stroke.

Prevention

It’s recommended to have physical activity on a regular basis in order to control the blood pressure and maintain your weight. Regarding the diet, you should consume more vegetables and fruits and avoid sugary, greasy and fatty foods. You should quit smoking and don’t abuse alcohol. Also, stress is another mini-stroke trigger, so try to relax from time to time.

Causes

A mini-stroke is caused by the presence of a little piece of fatty material or an air bubble. In other cases, a mini-stroke is triggered by a disruption in circulation. This disruption is caused by a blood clot that goes to a blood vessel providing blood to the brain.

Treatments

There are many types of treatments used for such a problem. In general, doctors recommend medication in order to avoid blood clot formation. There are cases where surgery is needed.

It’s really important to consult a doctor if you suffered a mini-stroke. This way, you can get the right treatment.