If your loved one temporarily slurred their speech, lost their hearing, or experienced many other strange symptoms, contact a physician immediately. Your loved one may have experienced a mini-stroke, also called a transient ischemic attack or TIA. Learn more about mini-strokes and how a physician can treat your loved one below.

What's a Transient Ischemic Attack?

Transient ischemic attack is one of three types of strokes that affect people today. A transient ischemic attack is similar to an ischemic stroke in how it develops and affects people. Both types of strokes develop when a blood clot or something similar prevents blood from entering the brain.

Both types of strokes can cause various symptoms to occur, including slurred speech, hearing loss, and confusion. However, the symptoms of an ischemic stroke tend to be long term or permanent. The symptoms of a TIA generally don't last longer than an hour after they first occur. 

If you think a TIA caused your loved one's symptoms, seek care from a stroke doctor now.

What Can a Physician Help Your Loved One?

Before a stroke doctor can diagnose your loved one with a TIA, they must examine them first. Some stroke physicians take CT scans of their patients' brains and blood vessels. The scans can show or reveal irregularities in the brain's blood vessels, such as bulging and ballooning. 

A doctor may also test your loved one's physical abilities during an exam. Strokes can cause muscle weakness in the face and body. The condition can make it difficult for your loved one to turn their head, raise their arm, or move their lips. A doctor may use various other methods to test your loved one's physical abilities.

If your loved one did suffer a TIA, a doctor will most likely monitor their progression. Transient ischemic attacks can lead to full-blown strokes. So it's critical that a doctor monitors your loved one carefully. 

Your loved one may need some type of medication to keep their blood from clotting, especially if your loved one is at risk for high blood pressure or heart disease. The diseases can weaken the blood vessels and keep blood from moving through them properly.

If your loved one doesn't improve with the health measures above, a doctor will try other things to improve their health.

For more information about mini-strokes and how to recognize them, contact a locum tenens stroke doctor today.