Causes of Mini Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack & Its Recovery Time

Mini stroke is also called transient ischemic attack or TIA in short. Blood circulation in the brain gets interrupted for a short time or few seconds in mini stroke. This results into symptoms similar to stroke but of mild variety, such as tingling numbness in the limbs and weakness of limbs, mini stroke does not cause damage to the brain and there is complete recovery from the symptoms within 24 hours.

However mini stroke is an important warning for a person. He is at a greater risk of getting brain stroke. Almost 30 % of people suffering from mini stroke have been reported to fall victim to brain stroke within 5 years. If you have mini stroke you should seek medical advice without delay to prevent full fledge brain stroke.

Mini Stroke Causes

Our brain requires oxygen and glucose for its proper functioning. Both the nutrients are supplied through the circulating blood. Any disruption in blood circulation can prevent oxygen and glucose supply to the brain and it stops working at normal pace.

Following are the causes of disruption of blood supply to the brain cells.

• Thrombosis of Brain Artery: There is gradual narrowing of the arteries of brain. This is due to deposition of fat within the artery wall leading to plaque formation. Sometime a plaque can get dislodged from the artery and block the flow of blood to the brain.
• Embolus: Emboli are blood clot from another region of the body, such as heart. It travels all the way to the neck and brain resulting stoppage of blood supply to the brain.
• Small leakage from the brain artery can cause diminished supply of blood to the brain cells.

Risk factors include; aging, family history of mini stroke or heart disease, a person who smokes and has high cholesterol, diabetes, and consumes excess of alcohol.

Mini Stroke Symptoms and Recovery Time

• Symptoms will depend on which part of brain is involved.
• The symptoms of mini stroke are sudden and quick in origin.
• Trouble while speaking which lasts for few minutes or seconds.
• Slurred speech.
• Weakness of limbs on one side of body. E.g. right side or left side.
• One side tingling numbness on face, arms, legs etc.
• Weakness in legs while walking lasing for few minutes.
• Vertigo and dizziness.
• Temporary loss of vision.
• Blurred vision or double vision.

Although the recovery time for mini stroke is within few minutes to 24 hours, a person suffering from mini stroke should take utmost care, as he is at a greater risk of getting full fledge brain stroke in future.