It was a boiling hot summer day in June when Philip Dennis says he “took a funny turn.”
The retired person, 70, worked in his Solihull garden when the sun suddenly seemed blurry.
Philip remembers that he retreats to the garage for a screwdriver and to escape from the heat. “The following that I can remember, was told to drink my cup of tea and eat a mars bar, sitting in the conservatory,” he says. “My wife had seen me wander through the garage, not knowing what I had done or what day it was.”
Within an hour or so, Philip almost felt normal again. But he couldn’t remember anything from the hour that had just passed.
“I put it down on a mild heat coupling – I had been a bit reckless who spend so long in the sun without drinking enough water,” says the former employee of the freight industry.
“And the fact that I felt good afterwards, assured me completely good.”
But in the following days, Philip had thought the nagging that what happened could be something more serious.
“My father had a stroke in his late 1950s and all his brothers died early on heart problems, so I thought checking with the doctor was the right thing to do,” he says.
After a quick examination, the general practitioner gave him it clearly and said it was probably a Hittkoppel. But in a precautionary measure MRI the week thereafter he received painful news.
The Sheffield -based sales director Steve Thompson, 62, prepared for his work when he suddenly did not know where he was. He says: ‘I was completely confused. My 40 year old wife asked what was going on – and I didn’t recognize her ‘
The scan revealed a small lesion in his brain, which indicates that he had had a passing ischemic attack (TIA) or mini stroke – a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain.
And, more shocking, doctors said there were signs that he had had one before without knowing it – as revealed by a small scar on one of the blood vessels of his brain.
Philip was stupidity, unable to remember to have a similar episode earlier.
And experts warn that he is only one of the thousands to unconsciously undergo a mini stroke – often with devastating consequences. Research shows that half of the patients who experience a TIA just pick it up.
“Because TIA symptoms by definition only last minutes to hours, many people or not what happened or they assume that the problem has been resolved, so they don’t seek help,” says Dr. Jennifer Crow, clinical specialist occupational therapist in Strokes at Imperial College London.
‘But a mini stroke is not a benign event. It is a warning shot. It means that something is seriously wrong.
‘A TIA significantly increases the risk of a complete stroke. And, as studies demonstrate, it can even cause permanent cognitive damage in itself. Yet there is still a widespread problem with people who do not receive treatment. ‘
In contrast to a stroke – where a long -term blockage of blood supply to the brain can cause permanent damage – a TIA is naturally temporary. They meet around 46,000 people every year and are activated by the same risk factors as a stroke: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and smoking.
Both disorders have similar symptoms, including numbness or weakness on the one hand, difficulty speaking or understanding speech, dizziness and changes in vision. But while the symptoms of the strokes persist, the Tia -Legal disappear when the blood flow is resumed in itself.
Research shows that patients often confuse their symptoms with other disorders – such as migraine or a captured nerve. Or, the problems seem too vague to locate – with more than a third, such as Philip, which she simply places on a ‘funny turn’.
Last week the GP columnist wrote Dr. Ellie Cannon from Sunday about them and the readers asked if they had experienced a mini stroke without realizing it – and we were flooded with reactions.
For father-of-four Steve Thompson, 62, the symptoms of his Tia lasted a few minutes and resembled that usually associated with a stroke.
The Sales Director, established in Sheffield, prepared for his work when he suddenly did not know where he was. He says: ‘I was completely confused. My 40 year old wife asked what was going on – and I didn’t recognize her. ‘
About one in three people who experience a TIA will have a stroke – with the risk that the highest in the days and weeks immediately after one. In fact, almost half of all strokes will occur within just two days after a TIA
After he had gone and breathed deeply, he was soon able to answer simple questions about who and where he was.
He continued with his day – to work than the gym. But to be safe, he visited his doctor and was referred for tests, showing that he had had a mini stroke.
“I had no headache, numbness or tingling, changed vision and didn’t hurry my words,” he says.
‘Now I say to all my friends and colleagues – if you ever feel strange or weird, even if you can’t put it on, call the doctor. It probably saved my life. ‘
The acronym is fast (balance, eyes, face, poor, speech and time) helps people remember the signs of a stroke. It refers to common symptoms such as sudden loss of balance, visual changes, hanging facial area, poor numbness and unclear speech, while the urgency of fast action is emphasized.
But a mini stroke can be more subtle, with vague vision, weakness instead of numbness in the arm or sudden dizziness (especially if it is delivered with headaches) and confusion, says Dr. Tim Chico, professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Sheffield.
Women also often report different mini stroke symptoms of men. According to the American Heart Association, they get a headache and other non-head-related pain, while men usually report chest pain. Women are more likely to have nausea, loss of consciousness or confusion in a mini stroke.
“The signs of a stroke vary, depending on which part of the brain the blockade takes place,” says Dr. Chico. ‘There may be a wide range of symptoms with a TIA – that’s why it’s so important for people to seek medical help, even if they are not sure. It is really dangerous to just sit out, hoping that it will get better. Always call 999. ‘
About one in three people who experience a TIA will have a stroke – with the risk that the highest in the days and weeks immediately after one. In fact, almost half of all strokes appear within just two days after a Tia.
Dr. Dominic Paviour, consultant -neurologist at the Oneëlbeck Clinic in London, says: ‘Something clearly happens in the body to cause the Tia. Whether it is an irregular heartbeat or a cool structure in the blood vessels of the brain, unless it is tackled, it will probably lead to a different event. ‘
So those who have had a TIA (usually diagnosed with an MRI or CT scan) must have immediate preventive treatment.
Dr. Paviour says: ‘The most important step is to start 300 mg of aspirin as quickly as possible. And if cholesterol is high, a cholesterol -lowering medicine.
‘Doctors will also tackle underlying risk factors – such as diabetes – and check for other disorders that increase the coagulation risk, including kidney disease or anemia. They will advise on lifestyle changes to lower the chance of a stroke, such as weight loss, quitting smoking and more practice. ‘
But it is not only full blows that relate to patients who have had a TIA. Both increase the risk of dementia, according to Prof. Chico.
“When we investigate someone with vascular dementia, we often find proof of mini stroke or strokes,” he explains. “They may not have caused clear symptoms, but cumulatively they increase the risk of dementia along the line.”
A significant sign of a mini stroke is extreme fatigue until a year thereafter, Danish experts discovered because the brain has to work harder to complete tasks after one.
Even more worries, for five years, a study from the University of Alabama, discovered the performance of participants in cognitive memory tests, thinking and reasoning, as steep decreasing in Tia patients and those who had a complete stroke.
Dr. CROW says she has seen many patients who still suffer from cognitive problems months after a mini stroke.
‘The definition of a TIA is that the symptoms are completely resolved within 24 hours – but there is quite a bit of evidence now that people have continuous effects of one. It can be changes in cognition, but also in mood such as depression, fear, fatigue – things that can really influence your life, work and family. It all strengthens that Tias must be taken seriously. ‘
Dr. CROW adds: ‘If people don’t understand what happened to them and what could happen, they don’t know they should change their lifestyle. This can be crucial because sitting or obese can contribute to the risk of stroke and dementia.
“Stroke or debilitating brain damage is not inevitable – as long as people know what they can do.”
The treatment of Philip was medication for high cholesterol and blood pressure, plus blood thinners. He did not have an episode – although his wife has noticed that he takes longer to remind names and places.
But he says he will be sure to get a future ‘funny turns’ immediately.
Problem that young women like Hailey Bieber touches
Model Hailey Bieber, who is married to Popster Justin Bieber, was admitted to the hospital for a mini stroke in 2022, after a sharp shooting pain went off her arm during breakfast
Although they mainly influence older adults, who more often have underlying risk factors, strokes and mini strokes in young people rise.
A study from the University of Oxford has found an increase of 67 percent increase in the incidence of a stroke in people younger than 55 in the last two decades. In the meantime, the speed of a stroke in older adults in the same period fell by 15 percent.
Model Hailey Bieber, 28 – who is married to Popster Justin Bieber, 31 – has previously talked about her experience with Tia. She was admitted to hospital for a mini stroke in 2022, after a sharp shooting pain ended her arm during breakfast.
When asked by husband Justin if everything was fine, Hailey discovered that she could not answer.
“I couldn’t talk. The right side of my face started to hang, “she said in a YouTube video.
Hurry to the hospital and was diagnosed with a mini stroke caused by a small hole in her heart, which was closed with surgery.
Experts say that factors such as increased percentages of obesity, stress, unhealthy lifestyle and ultra-processed foods will all contribute to the peak in cases among young people.
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