{"id":2230,"date":"2018-07-17T04:22:33","date_gmt":"2018-07-17T04:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/besthealth.guide\/?p=2230"},"modified":"2021-10-06T02:54:30","modified_gmt":"2021-10-06T02:54:30","slug":"8-main-mini-stroke-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/besthealth.guide\/8-main-mini-stroke-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Main Mini Stroke Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"

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We have an unfortunate tendency to think of a lot of health problems in a binary fashion \u2013 as being \u2018either or\u2019 affairs. Either we have them, or we don\u2019t!<\/p>\n

In reality, this often isn\u2019t how it works at all. Rather, we might be better served thinking of a lot of health problems as being spectrums. We are diagnosed as having a condition only once we reach a certain point on a sliding scale and thus meet the diagnostic criteria.<\/p>\n

A good example of this is cancer \u2013 it\u2019s actually thought that we might all have cancer to some degree, but that this cancer is kept in check for most of us. It becomes a problem only once the damaged cells start multiplying faster than they can be destroyed.<\/p>\n

The same thing goes for heart attacks and strokes. You\u2019ve probably heard of a mild myocardial event \u2013 meaning a \u2018mini heart attack\u2019 that might go completely unnoticed but which can be picked up later in scans thanks to scar tissue!<\/p>\n

Stokes are less well known though. It\u2019s also possible that we might experience a mini stroke that lasts for just a few minutes, or maybe an hour. This can again go unnoticed, or it can leave permanent symptoms. Either way, this post will help you to become more familiar with the concept of a \u2018mini stroke\u2019 so that you can correctly identify them if you experience them.<\/p>\n

1. Numbness in the Limbs<\/h3>\n

Technically, a mini stroke is known as a transient ischemic attack \u2013 and the symptoms are essentially the same as they are for a \u2018full stroke\u2019 but just to a larger degree. So, one of the things you\u2019re probably most familiar with is that the arm can go numb<\/a>. This can also occur in the leg or the face and it will generally affect one side of the body the most.<\/p>\n

The thing to understand about a stroke is that it is essentially caused by damage being inflicted on specific part of the brain \u2013 particular neuronal clusters. These neurons all have different jobs and so the area that is being damaged is going to dictate the kinds of symptoms that are exhibited.<\/p>\n

In this case, you are likely experiencing numbness in the limbs due to damage to the neurons that represent that side of the body or that limb specifically.<\/p>\n

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2. Confusion<\/h3>\n

Another common symptom of both strokes and TIA, is confusion. In short, we become muddled and confused as our brains stop acting correctly.<\/p>\n

Often, you will find that this causes difficulty in asking for help. You might reach for the telephone in order to call for help, but then forget the number for 911. Or you might be unable to remember your name, or to speak, or to type the numbers in.<\/p>\n

In the case of a TIA, this might take a far more mild and less noticeable form and you might simply experience a little unusual confusion. This can be difficult to catch and you may therefore not necessarily recognize it as a stroke<\/a> right away.<\/p>\n

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3. Difficulty Speaking<\/h3>\n

An even more common symptom is difficulty speaking. This can occur both due to the aforementioned confusion and due to the loss of muscle control in the facial area. This can result in slurred speech, that might sound similar to someone who has had too much alcohol<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you have difficulty remembering all of these different symptoms to look out for, then you can try using a popular acronym to remember: FAST.<\/p>\n

FAST stands for \u2018Face Arm Speech Time (to call for help)\u2019. While these symptoms might be less noticeable in a more minor stroke, they can still be detected and if you notice them all at the same time, then you should do something about them.<\/p>\n

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4. Dizziness<\/h3>\n

Another common symptom of a mild stroke is that it can cause dizziness<\/a>. The sufferer is here experiencing damage to areas of the brain that are in charge of controlling movement and balance. You might also experience more general ataxia and find that it becomes difficult to control your movements with any degree of finesse. That in turn might mean that you become likely to drop things, or that you reach for something and end up jabbing it or overshooting with the reach.<\/p>\n

There are many different things that can cause dizziness, ranging from low blood pressure, to rapid movement, to allergy, to vertigo, for this reason, it can be easy to miss the symptom. <\/p>\n

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5. Blurred Vision<\/h3>\n

Another common symptom of a minor stroke is blurred vision<\/a>. You might find that you struggle to focus on things, or you might find that it feels as though you are having difficulty looking anywhere \u2013 as though there is a layer of water across your eyes. This again will often affect one eye more severely than the other and it will come out of nowhere.<\/p>\n

This symptom is likewise caused by the brain damage occurring in a very specific part of the brain \u2013 likely the V1 visual area (occipital lobe). It might also be due to muscular changes that alter the shape of the lenses.<\/p>\n

While I mentioned that a minor stroke can leave symptoms, the good news is that it usually won\u2019t. You should have your full vision back when it goes away.<\/p>\n

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6. Sever Headache<\/h3>\n

Seeing as a stroke is caused by a loss of blood to the brain, resulting impaired activity and potentially damage, it should come as no large surprise that this can cause a severe headache. In the case of a stroke, that headache<\/a> will likely appear with no obvious cause.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, that again is not enough on its own to definitely point to a stroke as the cause. After all, many of us will experience regular headaches with no obvious explanation. Then there are the other causes, such as tension headache (caused when you clench your head and face muscle too much), dehydration, epilepsy, migraine and more.<\/p>\n

This is a good reason to go and check with your doctor though. While a headache is likely to be nothing, it can never hurt just to make sure!<\/p>\n

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7. Stroke<\/h3>\n

While a mini stroke may well pass without incident, it\u2019s important to recognize that it can also be a warning sign of more serious things to come. Very often, those who experience a mini stroke will later go on to have a serious stroke \u2013 possibly within a few days.<\/p>\n

For this reason, you should be certain to get any unusual symptoms related to those mentioned here checked out as soon as possible. This is doubly important, seeing as the other potential explanations (such as a brain tumor<\/a>) could also be very serious.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also useful to know this, as following a serious stroke, you may think back and realize that the previous symptoms you experienced were in fact a mini stroke.<\/p>\n

As mentioned though, many people won\u2019t have any symptoms after the mini stroke and certainly, not everyone will have a full stroke. Just be on the lookout.<\/p>\n

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8. 24 Hour Duration or Less<\/h3>\n

The biggest sign that what you\u2019re experiencing is a mini stroke is that it lasts for around 24 hours. As mentioned, in some cases, a stroke can last only for a few minutes. This is unlikely however and if you have a few minutes of blurry vision, it could point to any number of things.<\/p>\n

Conversely though, if the symptom lasts for 24 hours, then you know that something more long-lasting and serious might be going on. What\u2019s more, is that if it lasts for much longer, then it might not be a mini stroke at all.<\/p>\n

So, the duration is another clue.<\/p>\n

However, any of these symptoms are potentially serious and should all be causes to go and check with your GP. And keep in mind that a stroke can also trigger a vast range of different symptoms not listed here. We have individual neurons<\/a> for everything \u2013 even encoding vegetables.<\/p>\n

That means that you could have symptoms as specific and as unusual as not being able to remember vegetables but being otherwise completely fine. The brain is an incredibly amazing and complex piece of machinery \u2013 make sure you look after it!<\/p>\n\r\n

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