At just 11 years of age, Adam (not his real name) did not fit the typical profile of someone who would have a mini-stroke. But he did suffer from one.
The attack was first discovered by his schoolmates who noticed something weird about his face. When Adam was talking or laughing, his right cheek was not responsive, and Adam was blinking with just his left eye.
Adam did not pay much attention about it, as there were no pain, just brief numbness on the right side of his face. The symptoms disappear in about an hour.
Lucky for Adam, his teacher caught it and arranged for medical attention immediately.
A Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or mini-stroke, is a problem in the blood vessels of the brain that causes a temporary decrease the blood flow to a certain brain region.
TIA Symptoms:
Weakness, numbness or paralysis in your face, arm or leg, typically on one side of your body
Slurred or garbled speech or difficulty understanding others
Blindness in one or both eyes or double vision
Dizziness or loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
Most symptoms of a TIA disappear within hours, and there is usually no permanent damage. Nonetheless, TIA must be taken seriously as it is usually a harbinger of worse things to come.
So, do not ignore the symptoms or attempt self-diagnosis. The best action is to be evaluated by medical professionals as soon as possible!
Sleep Apnea and TIA
Sleep Apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is interrupted during sleep. This condition causes low oxygen levels and high blood pressure, both of which can increase the risk of TIA/Stroke!
Sleep apnea is also very common in TIA/Stroke patients and is typically obstructive in nature. Sleep studies should be considered in all stroke and TIA patients.*
* https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2854698/