TIA vs Stroke

What is a TIA?

A TIA is a temporary interruption in blood flow to the brain that causes the same symptoms as a stroke. Formally known as a transient ischemic attack, a TIA lasts for only a few minutes. Unlike stroke, a TIA gets better on its own. That can lull people into a false sense of complacency. Many do not realize they need to call 911.

Does a TIA Lead to Stroke?

At least 240,000 Americans have a TIA each year, though that may be an undercount because of the temporary nature of the condition, according to a study in the journal Stroke. Almost 18 percent of people who have had a TIA will have a stroke within 90 days, and half of those strokes will happen within just two days.

Of people who seek medical treatment for TIA, 40 percent will later find out that, though their symptoms seemed to go away, they actually had a stroke, according to the American Stroke Association.

Second strokes are common. A recent German study found that nearly 20 percent of stroke patients had a second stroke within five years of the first stroke.

The Warning Signs of Both Stroke and TIA:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

With a TIA, there will be no lasting damage evident on a brain scan. The damage from a stroke, even a small one, persists and will show up on a brain scan. It is permanent.

The Good News About TIAs:

The good news is that a TIA offers a chance to prevent a stroke. It gives you the warning that you need to make changes to any controllable risk factors that you have: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and tobacco use. You can also choose to eat better and exercise. Beyond addressing the controllable risk factors, you may need medical treatment and medication, such as blood thinners

While it will produce symptoms that disappear within 24 hours, a TIA should be treated as an emergency. Preventing a possible stroke may depend on your quick action.

My Own Experience with TIAs:

I didn’t have a TIA myself until after having a stroke. As I was recovering in the hospital and beginning to move my arm a little bit, I was stunned one day to see my arm drop to my side like a dead weight. I rang for the nurse, a neurologist was called, and by the time he arrived I was moving my arm again. It was unnerving but painless and caused no other symptoms. So I can completely understand how a person could miss a TIA in the middle of a busy life.

A few days after that initial TIA, I had a second one. Again, my arm suddenly stopped working, but this time it lasted a couple of hours. I was transferred back to the ICU and put on “stroke watch.” For 24 hours, I was awakened every two hours for neurological tests to make sure I did not have a stroke in my sleep. Nurses flashed bright lights into my eyes to check my pupils. I could barely speak at that point, but I was quizzed on the day, date, and who was President. It was one of the most terrifying and exhausting things I have been through. Years later, I am nothing but grateful. I did not have a second stroke. But even better, I have recovered well enough to warn folks of the dangers of TIA.

By Karen Rafinski

Categorized in: Stroke Symptoms & Updates, Tips