Transient ischemic attacks are sometimes called "mini-strokes." Although strokes typically occur without warning, some people may feel a temporary numbness, weakness or tingling in one arm or leg, or problems with speech, vision or balance before the actual onset of the stroke.
It most often affects the face, arm and leg together, but some small strokes just affect the face alone or just the arm or the leg. Less commonly, strokes can cause just a loss of feeling (or sensation) in the face, arm or leg, or a mixture of a loss of feeling and weakness.
The disruption in blood supply results in a lack of oxygen to the brain. This can cause sudden symptoms similar to a stroke, such as speech and visual disturbance, and numbness or weakness in the face, arms and legs.
Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
Muscle weakness
Weakness on one side of the body is the most common and well known effect of stroke. If your muscles are weak, you are likely to have some difficulty moving your limbs and moving around in general. Around 80% of stroke survivors experience movement problems, but these can vary.
It seems that people with TIA/minor stroke had a higher possibility to get gait and balance disorder. Gait and balance disorder following a minor stroke or TIA may be attributed to cognitive function in these patients.
You will likely have a head CT scan or brain MRI. A stroke may show changes on these tests, but TIAs will not.
Some people who've had a stroke will have some trouble with walking and getting around. Strokes can damage parts of your brain that coordinate your movements. Brain signals get scrambled, and your mind and muscles may not work together very well.
You are still the same person, but a stroke may change the way you respond to things. It's not always possible to go back to the way you were before a stroke, but you can get help and support to make the best recovery possible for you. It can be hard for the people around you if they feel you've changed.
Some people regain full use of their arm in the weeks after a stroke. Many others still have some weakness, pain, or other problems with their arm. You may continue to benefit from arm therapy. Your medical team can tailor your treatment plan to your needs.
Unlike a CT scan, which takes several hours to reveal any blockages of blood flow, an MRI can uncover any brain damage within an hour of the onset of the stroke symptoms.
The only way to tell the difference between a ministroke and a stroke is by having a doctor look at an image of your brain with either a CT scan or an MRI scan. If you've had an ischemic stroke, it's likely that it won't show up on a CT scan of your brain for 24 to 48 hours. An MRI scan usually shows a stroke sooner.
One of the most common stroke mimics is a seizure, which researchers believe account for as many as 20% of all stroke mimics. Other common stroke mimics include migraines, syncope, sepsis, brain tumor and metabolic derangement (low sodium or low blood sugar).
If a stroke is suspected, a CT scan is usually able to show whether you have had an ischaemic stroke or a haemorrhagic stroke. It's generally quicker than an MRI scan and can mean you're able to receive appropriate treatment sooner.
The good news is you absolutely can live a full life after a mini-stroke. Here's how. Like strokes, mini-strokes occur when a blockage occurs in a major artery to your brain, disrupting the flow of blood and oxygen. The difference is in a mini-stroke, the disruption lasts only minutes, so there's no permanent damage.
Most patients regain the ability to walk within the first 6 months or, when mobility has been severely affected, within the first 2 years following their stroke. Experts can agree that the chances of recovering function after stroke increase with the intensity of rehabilitation.
Most people who have a mini-stroke feel fine after the event. In fact, many people don't even realize they've had one! Symptoms might include weakness, numbness, tingling, vision changes or difficulty speaking. Most symptoms are temporary and dissipate within minutes but sometimes can last up to 24 hours.
Sudden leg weakness can be a cause for concern and should prompt immediate medical attention. Some causes of sudden leg weakness include stroke (due to a decrease in oxygen reaching parts of the brain), spinal cord damage, or a pinched nerve coming out of the spinal cord.
Regarding the duration of fatigue after stroke, acute fatigue can last up to 6 months, whereas the chronic type can persist in 40% of patients after 2 years. Another study reported fatigue to be still present in one-third of patients up to 6 years after stroke onset.