By: Jim Miller | Savvy Senior Published: April 29, 2012 Updated: April 29, 2012 - 12:00 AM
Q: How can a person know if they have had a stroke? My 70-year-old husband had a spell where he felt dizzy for no apparent reason and had trouble talking and walking because his left side went numb, but it went away after a few minutes and he feels fine now.
A: It's very possible that your husband may have had a mini-stroke, also known as a transient ischemic attack, and if he hasn't done so, he needs to see a doctor pronto.
Each year, more than a quarter-million Americans have a mini-stroke, but only about half of them realize what's happening. That's because the symptoms are usually fleeting (lasting only a few minutes, up to an hour or two), causing most people to ignore them or brush them off as no big deal. But anyone who has had a mini-stroke is 10 times more likely to have a full-blown stroke, which can cause long-term paralysis, impaired memory, loss of speech or vision, or even death.
A mini-stroke is caused by a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain, and it can be a warning sign that a major stroke may soon be coming. That's why mini-strokes need to be treated like emergencies.
A person is more likely to suffer a TIA, or stroke, if they are overweight or inactive, have high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol or diabetes. Other factors that boost the risks are age (older than 60), smoking, heart disease, atrial fibrillation and having a family history of stroke. Men also have a greater risk for stroke than women, and African-Americans and Hispanics are at higher risk than those of other races.
The symptoms of a mini-stroke are the same as those of a full-blown stroke, but can be subtle and short-lived, and they don't leave any permanent damage. They include:
Anyone who is having any of these symptoms should call 911 immediately. Or, if you have had any of them and they went away, ask someone to drive you to the emergency room as soon as possible and tell them you may have had a stroke.
If your husband did have a mini-stroke and did not get medical treatment, this self-assessment quiz (known as the ABCD2 tool) can estimate his risk of having a major stroke in the very near future.
Age: If older than 60 1 point.
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Savvy Senior: The often ignored warning signs of a mini-stroke