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Recovery Time for a Mini Stroke

The term "mini stroke" is more officially known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA). This condition refers to a temporary interruption of blood to the brain. It causes symptoms similar to a stroke, but they do not last as long -- minutes to hours rather than days to years -- and a TIA does not destroy brain cells or cause lasting disability.

  1. The facts

    • A transient ischemic attack occurs when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain and causes blood flow to cease temporarily.

    Features

    • Again, symptoms of a "mini stroke" are similar to a regular stroke and include numbness or weakness on one side of the body, trouble speaking, confusion, trouble seeing and loss of balance.

    Time Frame

    • Although these symptoms usually disappear within one hour and last no more than 24 hours, a person who experiences a TIA should seek medical attention immediately after the incident.

    Warning

    • TIAs are often warning signs of future, more serious strokes. About 35 percent of untreated cases will have a larger ischemic stroke five years after a TIA, and 60 percent of people who suffer a large stroke had a TIA previously, according to Health-Cares.net.

    Treatment

    • Doctors might prescribe anti-clotting medications and blood thinners to reduce the risk of another stroke. Someone who has had a TIA could also undergo surgery called an endarterectomy to remove atherosclerotic deposits in the patient's neck artery to improve blood flow to the brain.

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