Signs of a microstroke in women: differences from a stroke, consequences, first aid

A microstroke is an acute malnutrition of cerebral structures. Variation of ischemia (oxygen starvation) of the brain.

Unlike its “big brother,” it is a transitory disorder. Without the death of nerve clusters and the formation of a neurological deficit, therefore it can be considered an alarm bell.

It does not pose an immediate threat to life, unless in the course of development it transforms into a full-fledged stroke, which happens in approximately 15% of situations.

Symptoms are nonspecific, but clearly indicate a neurological origin of the process. Treatment is urgent, in a hospital setting.

Only doctors can limit emergency conditions and only after initial diagnosis.

What is the difference between a microstroke and a stroke?

A microstroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a disruption of blood flow to the brain or spinal cord, the symptoms of which last no more than 24 hours. With TIA, tissue infarction does not occur, that is, neurological deficits do not develop, which is typical of strokes. The mechanism for the development of ischemia is a temporary narrowing of the artery or blockage of the vessel by a thrombus.

In international neurological practice, the “24-hour” rule used to apply. It was believed that persistence of symptoms for more than a day was considered the onset of a stroke. Since 2002, TIA has been diagnosed by identifying pathological changes in brain tissue.

A microstroke is a short-term occurrence of neurological dysfunction that is caused by focal ischemia or a decrease in blood flow to the brain, but does not lead to organic damage. Symptoms of a TIA appear within an hour of the artery becoming blocked.

What is a microstroke in medical practice? In the guidelines of the Russian Federation on neurology, released in 2010, TIA is classified as an acute cerebrovascular accident in which symptoms occur for a period not exceeding 24 hours. Signs of a micro-stroke can be focal and cerebral, but within 24 hours they completely disappear and the patient recovers.

Microstroke and its difference from stroke

A microstroke is the same damage to the brain’s nerve cells and neurons, but not deep, but superficial. The main difference is that the cells do not die, hemorrhage does not develop, and blood vessels do not rupture. The patient's condition does not enter the acute phase and experiences only general symptoms of a stroke, and recovery occurs within a few hours. But the main risk is that there can be several such attacks at once, which leads to dementia, memory loss and mental disorders. And all because brain cells die much more slowly, and the process takes about three months until obvious consequences are visible on the face.

Features of microstroke in women

The risk of stroke in women also exists at an early age. In men, vascular problems begin after 40 years of age due to atherosclerosis and high blood pressure. The most common causes are alcohol consumption, smoking and stress. Women are physiologically more predisposed to developing aneurysms. The structure of the vessels is characterized by looser fibers with an innate ability to expand in response to the production of progesterone and relaxin.

Helpful information

Women are more emotional and react more acutely to stress, which increases the risk of blood pressure surges and ruptures of the walls of brain vessels.

Hormonal fluctuations are characteristic of the female body during each month, especially in the second phase of the cycle. In women, blood volume and heart rate regularly change. The risk of TIA especially increases during pregnancy and childbirth. Hormonal levels affect blood circulation in the body and brain. With high blood pressure and the development of preeclampsia, many women report symptoms that resemble a stroke. These include severe headache, nausea, blurred vision and dizziness.

Contraceptives affect the thickness of the blood, therefore increasing the risk of blood clots. Long-term use of contraception leads to varicose veins and thrombosis. Any hormonal therapy affects the function of the liver, which produces proteins and blood clotting factors.

Causes and mechanism of development

As already mentioned, the basis of the disorder is insufficient nutrition of the brain. The blood flow weakens, so there is little supply of nutrients and oxygen. Hypoxia and starvation of the central nervous system begins.

The organ responds with the development of focal symptoms. Which one depends on the location of the violation. If the occipital lobe is affected, these are visual defects, the frontal lobe - motor defects, etc. You need to figure it out on the spot.

The causes of the pathological process are heterogeneous. There are two main ones.

Atherosclerosis is not a problem for older people. She has no demographic preferences. It is a stenosis or more often a blockage of the arteries with cholesterol plaques. Special fatty structures.

Radial blocking of the lumen of the vessel leads to a drop in blood flow speed and an increase in pressure. Sooner or later this will end in an acute malnutrition of the area following the anomalous area.

Another classic factor is hypertension. It itself has nothing to do with a microstroke, because the integrity of the vessels is preserved and there is no hemorrhage. Transient malnutrition is always of ischemic origin. The point is different.

Behind hypertension is the production of a large number of hormones, such as angiotensin-2, aldosterone, renin, and others.

They provoke constant, chronic vasoconstriction, preventing the brain from receiving sufficient nutrients and oxygen.

There are other possible causes of stenosis, but they are hardly noticeable in the overall picture.

Anatomical defects of cerebral vessels such as aneurysms, malformations, congenital narrowings also occur in clinical practice, as well as a decrease in myocardial contractility.

Knowing the mechanism of pathology formation, it is possible to develop a prevention scheme for a specific patient.

Causes

The main cause is a blockage in one of two important blood vessels: the carotid or vertebral artery. They branch into a number of smaller branches, supplying blood to every part of the brain.

During stress, arteries respond to the release of adrenaline by compressing the muscle layer, which leads to a compensatory increase in blood pressure. Therefore, the risk of TIA increases with problems with posture, namely the cervical spine, as well as with dystonia. Women are more prone to vegetative-vascular dystonia precisely because of dysregulation of the function of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems.

The risk of TIA increases with atherosclerosis, or fatty plaque deposits on the walls of the arteries. When vasospasm occurs due to stress, the polarity of the endotherium, the cells lining the blood vessels, changes. The body then begins to repair tissue by increasing platelet activity. To restore polarity, fat molecules are glued to the overgrown layer of cells. As a result, the lumen of the artery narrows and blood flow is disrupted.

The formation of blood clots is associated with a number of factors:

irregular heartbeat, heart disease;
blood thickening due to increased levels of cholesterol and platelets;
in the presence of thrombophlebitis and varicose veins.

Research identifies the main factors for the development of TIA:

Increase in blood pressure to 130/90-220/110 mmHg. in 60% of patients with a history of microstroke.
Use of oral contraceptives for more than 3 months – in almost 18% of cases.
Hormonal stimulation when planning IVF (artificial insemination) – in 9% of women.
Almost 10% of patients are overweight.
Snoring or sleep apnea is present in 9%.

In approximately 10% of TIA cases, no underlying factors are identified.

A combination of factors puts some women at increased risk:

Episodic increase in blood pressure due to excess weight and taking hormonal drugs for contraception.
IVF planning and hypertension in women.
Having hypertension, being overweight, and snoring or sleep apnea.

A sharp jump in blood pressure occurs with neurocirculatory dystonia, which is typical for young people. The use of oral contraception changes the rheological properties of blood and increases viscosity. At the same time, the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels decreases.

Dissection (dissection) of arterial walls is one of the little-studied causes of TIA in young people and women before menopause. The integrity of the arterial wall is compromised with injuries to the cervical spine. But with abnormalities in the development of blood vessels, even a coughing fit and careless movement can cause hemorrhages and leave part of the brain tissue without oxygen.

Helpful information

Neck and brain injuries increase the risk of micro-strokes due to disruption of vascular integrity. Hematomas are associated with problems of microcirculation of the affected areas of the brain, even after concussions.

Treatment and recovery

Therapy is carried out using medications. Operations are required much less frequently. The key task is to eliminate the root cause. The issue of preventing repeated episodes is automatically resolved.

Several groups of drugs are prescribed:

Statins. Eliminate cholesterol, dissolve cholesterol plaques. Atoris as the main and safest remedy.
Antiplatelet agents. Thin the blood, improve fluidity and other rheological properties of the tissue. Prevents the formation of blood clots.
Angioprotectors. To prevent rupture of blood vessels. Reduced fragility is achieved by increasing elasticity. Anavenol as the main drug.
Antihypertensive according to indications. ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, centrally acting agents, calcium antagonists, potassium sparing diuretics.
Cardiac glycosides. If there is a decrease in myocardial contractility.
Cerebrovascular agents. Restores normal blood circulation in the brain. Actovegin, Piracetam, Glycine, other medications.

It is possible to prescribe other means. But this is not enough in some cases. Anomalies in the development of cerebral vessels, aneurysms, malformations, advanced atherosclerosis, heart defects, and a number of other diseases require surgical correction.

Compliance with relapse prevention recommendations is indicated for the rest of your life. Quitting smoking, alcohol, self-administration and uncontrolled use of any medications, as well as shifting the diet towards greater consumption of protein and vitamins of natural origin.

Treatment for a microstroke lasts several months. Prevention can last a person's entire life. Depends on the origin of the problem and the main measures, the chosen tactics.

The first signs of a microstroke in women

Female microstrokes are characterized by vague symptoms. For example, weakness in the arms and legs, body aches, poor coordination of movements. Goosebumps running along one side of the body, the appearance of areas with reduced skin sensitivity are some of the signs of TIA. Many people note a decrease in visual acuity, “fog before the eyes,” sometimes without signs of headache. Women are less likely to report dizziness and disturbances of consciousness. More often they experience decreased sensitivity and tingling on one side of the body. If the symptoms go away after 1-2 hours, then most likely a transient ischemic attack has occurred.

Consequences and treatment: prognosis

A favorable outcome of minor cerebral hemorrhage directly depends on the speed of timely detection of symptoms. Treatment must take place in a hospital under the constant supervision of doctors. In no case should you self-medicate or completely ignore the signs of an attack (their course can become chronic).

There is such a thing as a “silent stroke” - this is a major stroke that occurs in people who have previously suffered a transient ischemic attack. It is scary because no signs of an attack are observed, but disturbances in blood flow occur during this period, and irreversible negative processes occur in the brain cells.

Main symptoms

Signs of a microstroke in women resemble the picture of a regular stroke:

Violation of facial symmetry: sliding of the lips, cheeks or eyelids on one side.
Inability to raise both arms in front of you and hold them in the air without weakness or numbness.
Slurred speech, poor pronunciation of words.
Visual impairment: blurred vision, double vision, appearance of black dots.

Other symptoms of TIA include:

partial loss of vision in one eye;
dizziness;
communication problems: the person speaks indistinctly and does not understand what is said to him;
impaired balance and coordination;
problems with swallowing;
numbness or weakness, which can lead to paralysis on one side of the body;
loss of consciousness (in severe cases).

Most often, patients note a sharp headache (in 90% of cases), then dizziness (in 13%), numbness of the face and lips (almost 40%) and extremities (54% of cases). The one-time or episodic nature of the listed signs of a microstroke is assessed as a manifestation of neurocirculatory dystonia.

First aid for microstroke

To avoid serious consequences and a recurrence of the situation, it is important to call doctors and provide first aid. To do this, you need to put the patient on his back, unfasten all the buttons and open the windows for the free flow of oxygen into the lungs. It is also recommended to turn your head to the side, raise it a little higher than the rest of the body and remove all secretions and saliva from the mouth, to help with the urge to vomit. Water should be given, but not too much, so that it does not accumulate in the lungs. Try to talk to the patient, do not let him lose consciousness and do not despair. You can apply a cold compress to the head, massage the body, and then cover the person with a blanket. You cannot give medications or give injections until the ambulance arrives. But if breathing stops, it is important to perform artificial respiration and cardiac massage.

Risk group

The main risk groups for TIA include:

Women during menopause who have a stable increase in blood pressure or tachycardia.
Young, overweight women taking hormonal contraceptives.
Women who are undergoing hormonal therapy to stimulate IVF.

A sharp increase in blood pressure during stress or physical overexertion is considered an isolated risk factor.

As part of the study, patients who had experienced a TIA were asked about pain experienced in the week before the circulatory event or 24 hours before the event. It turned out that during the year before the mini-stroke, the patients experienced migraines with aura, which means changes in vision and hearing before a headache attack. Only 15% of patients had a worse headache on the eve of TIA, and in the other 20%, the nature of the pain changed on the eve of neurological symptoms. If the blood supply was disrupted in the occipital lobe, then the headache was a signal of danger.

Therefore, migraines with aura and increased frequency of headache attacks may indicate the approach of a micro-stroke.

Causes

The list of phenomena that cause a micro-stroke is quite “standard” and applies to many diseases of the cardiovascular system:

binge eating;
obesity;
alcohol abuse;
sedentary work and constant physical inactivity;
frequent overwork, stress;
smoking;
excessive physical activity;
bad ecology;
previous heart surgery (for example, valve replacement);
excessive amounts of animal fats in the daily diet;
constant cold climatic conditions (provoke an increase in blood pressure);
a sharp change in the usual climatic and weather conditions.

Some diseases also provoke a microstroke:

Uncompensated diabetes mellitus (with glucose fluctuations);
Atherosclerosis in the progression stage (reduces the diameter of the lumen of blood vessels);
Impairment of cerebral blood flow passing to the heart;
Lesions of the heart valves of an infectious or rheumatic nature (contribute to their destruction);
Congenital heart defects;
Myocardial infarction is the cause of TIA, complicating its diagnosis;
Arteritis (inflammatory process affecting the internal walls of blood vessels);
Thrombosis;
Arrhythmias - when the heartbeat is disturbed, microthrombi appear that clog the blood vessels of the brain (arrhythmia reduces blood pressure and impairs cerebral blood flow);
Oncological problems;
Hypertensive diseases with their vivid symptoms overshadow all signs of a microstroke;
Apnea (stopping breathing during sleep for 10 seconds or more).

Risk factors

Risk factors include people with:

constant nervous stress in professions that require increased attention;
atherosclerotic damage to the vessels of the brain, carotid and vertebral arteries;
heart diseases, especially accompanied by arrhythmias, valve defects;
hypertension and symptomatic hypertension;
diabetes mellitus;
allergic vasculitis of an autoimmune nature;
severe osteochondrosis, hernia in the cervical spine with compression of blood vessels;
germinating tumor, hematogenous small metastases;
skull injuries, concussion;
congenital vascular pathology.

First aid

If you suspect a microstroke, you should call an emergency doctor. A suspicious headache that does not subside after taking painkillers, accompanied by weakness in the legs, blurred vision is a reason to consult a doctor.

Before the ambulance arrives, you need to measure your blood pressure. If antihypertensive drugs are prescribed, take a dose to normalize blood pressure. Place the patient on a flat surface, free from tight clothing. Open the window slightly for fresh air. Don't leave alone, support.

The most common symptoms of a mini-stroke

The manifestations of a mini-stroke can vary greatly. They depend on the part of the brain affected. In the case of TIA, the following disorders often occur:

weakness of the facial muscles - a person cannot smile, take air into his mouth, etc.;
decreased muscle strength in the limbs – especially the arms;
problems with speech – sometimes the ability to speak disappears, sometimes to express oneself.

But this does not mean that a stroke in the legs is necessarily associated with these symptoms. Any signs of possible acute brain injury should prompt immediate medical attention.

Blurred vision, loss of vision

The first organ that indicates a possible micro-stroke is the eyes. The disease may affect one or both eyes. About 44% of people who had a stroke had varying degrees of vision problems.

Dizziness

Dizziness is a common symptom of a mini-stroke under the age of 45. This is a clear sign that you need to see a doctor. Ignoring this symptom often leads to a major stroke.

Problems with speech and understanding

Throughout the day, almost everyone sometimes experiences a little confusion that they don't even notice. As a result, he may behave and speak a little “outside the norm.” But if you notice these abnormalities, or someone warned you about them, consult your doctor.

Loss of balance, problems walking

Symptoms of a ministroke include apathy and general weakness of the upper and lower extremities. Some people experience paralysis and subsequent collapse. Paralysis is a common symptom of a stroke and requires medical attention when it occurs. You can test for this symptom yourself.

Extend your arms in front of you, palms up, and stay in this position for 10 seconds. The fall of one arm indicates weakening of the muscles. It is recommended to consult a doctor.

Pain on one side of the face

A stroke is not always accompanied by pain. But tenderness in the limbs or one part of the face may indicate a TIA.

Headache and migraine

These symptoms are very common. The researchers found that stroke survivors with acute headaches were young and often suffered from migraines, especially if there was a family history of cerebral infarction.

Studies have shown that headaches and migraines as a manifestation of TIA are more common in women than in men. But this does not minimize the necessary caution when identifying such symptoms in representatives of the stronger sex.

Facial paralysis

This is one of the most common symptoms of a stroke. Usually only one part of the face is paralyzed.

Fatigue

According to several studies, women often experience fatigue, confusion and disorientation. Each of these symptoms is typical of a stroke.

Hiccups

This is an early sign of a micro-stroke suffered on the legs in women. The disorder affects the respiratory center of the brain, causing hiccups.

Breathing problems

Sudden stoppage or difficulty breathing is common in people who are developing a stroke. Cardiac arrhythmia due to lack of oxygen is also possible.

Sometimes it happens that the symptoms disappear before the ambulance arrives. But this is definitely not a reason to cancel a medical examination. Disorders of the cerebral arteries require examination; it is important to determine the cause of the disorder. In fact, TIA does not require specialized treatment because it will go away on its own. But it is necessary to examine the condition of the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain and, if necessary, eliminate defects. The incident may happen again, but with more serious consequences.

Treatment

If a TIA is confirmed, the patient is hospitalized for several days for observation. Hospitalization is mandatory in the following cases:

with increasing symptoms that persist for more than an hour;
with damage to the internal carotid arteries by atherosclerotic plaques by 50%;
with atrial fibrillation;
increased blood clotting.

Further treatment is determined by the cause of the TIA. Almost all patients require drug treatment. Antiplatelet drugs (antiplatelet agents) are prescribed to prevent platelets from sticking together and the risk of a new blood clot. Typically, aspirin, clopidogrel, or a combination of aspirin and dipyridamole are chosen. The need for antiplatelet therapy increases in the following cases:

when small vessels are blocked;
against the background of mitral valve prolapse;
with detected calcification of the mitral ring;
non-rheumatic lesions of the mitral valve.

Atrial fibrillation in the form of attacks and persistent, acute coronary syndrome and mitral stenosis are indications for treatment with anticoagulants. First, direct-acting drugs (heparin) are used, and then vitamin K antagonists (warfarin).

Anticoagulants such as warfarin reduce blood clotting. They are prescribed for complicated TIA, but less frequently than platelet drugs. Anticoagulants are necessary for patients with left ventricular thrombosis due to myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, rheumatic disease and other diseases that increase the risk of stroke.

For arterial atherosclerosis, statins are prescribed in the highest doses immediately after TI. If the carotid artery stenosis is 70%, then carotid endarterectomy is performed.

Diagnostics

The “gold standard” for any cerebrovascular accident is magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, of the brain. In the image, you can examine in detail all the structures of the brain and see the smallest - down to fractions of a millimeter - lesions. Using MRI, you can also monitor the dynamics of regression or “resorption” of pathological foci.

But MRI is a rare, inaccessible and extremely expensive research method, and performing it for emergency indications for any patient with a headache is extremely difficult and impractical. That is why there are a number of indicative tests, the results of which can be used to assess the need for this research method for a particular patient:

Examination by a neurologist with specific neurological tests to assess the patient’s stability, the condition of his muscles, reflexes, and pupils.
Measuring blood pressure and cholesterol levels - the higher these indicators, the higher the risk of stroke.
Determination of blood clotting - in the presence of certain tendencies to increase coagulation - hypercoagulation - there is a higher risk of blood clots in the vessels of the brain.

Initial diagnosis of stroke at home

I would like to pay special attention to pre-medical diagnosis of ischemic brain lesions. The first signs of a micro-stroke do not always appear in a medical facility; more often it happens at work, on the street or with family. It is important to know what indicative tests can be performed before contacting a doctor.

Smile. If you ask the patient to smile, the asymmetry of the mouth will be noticeable - one corner will be lower.
Speech - it is worth asking the patient to say a few simple phrases - for example, a proverb or a saying. Speech will be slower and unclear.
Movement. You need to ask the patient to raise his arms or legs. If there are cerebral circulation disorders, one of the limbs will lag behind or not obey the owner at all.

These tests, despite their apparent simplicity, are very effective and have saved the lives and health of many people.

Consequences

The main complications of microstrokes are:

increased risk of recurrent stroke;
neurological symptoms due to neuronal death.

The rapid initiation of complex treatment with drugs and surgical restoration of arterial patency reduces the risk of strokes after TIA by 80%.

After a TIA, an important aspect of therapy is the preservation of brain tissue to avoid neurological damage. As a preventative measure, cytoprotectors are used to prevent cerebral ischemia and infarction.

With spontaneous restoration of blood flow, which occurs after TIA, the problem of reperfusion tissue damage arises. Therefore, the death of neurons is also observed. In the early or long term, this can lead to short-term loss of sensation, impaired coordination of movements and loss of clarity of speech.

Neurons are damaged due to oxidative stress caused by the formation of reactive oxygen species during ischemia. Cell damage occurs both with a lack of oxygen and after blood flow is restored. Therefore, for prevention, patients are prescribed drugs with antioxidant and antihypoxic effects. To improve the regulation of cell function, Actovegin is chosen in the treatment of cerebrovascular accidents.

How to recognize a micro-stroke

Diagnosis of this disease is based on a complete examination of the state of the cardiovascular system. Usually, for the accuracy of the diagnosis, consultation with an ophthalmologist, cardiologist, or therapist is required.

Studies that help make an accurate diagnosis include:

Electrocardiogram (ECG),
Echocardiogram,
Complete blood test
Computed tomography (CT),
Magnetic resonance diagnostics,
Blood clotting test (coagulogram),
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

A doctor can decide how to treat a microstroke only after studying the results of the examination. Thus, the result of an electrocardiogram may indicate that the formation of a blood clot, which prevented the flow of blood to the brain, occurred in the heart. In such cases, the doctor may decide to prescribe anticoagulants. The result of an ultrasound examination of the carotid arteries can show whether there are atherosclerotic lesions of the vessels (their lumen is too narrow due to atherosclerosis). As a measure to prevent ischemia and stroke, surgery may be recommended in such situations.

Prevention

After a TIA, the risk of a stroke remains at 20%. Lifestyle correction protects against dangerous vascular problems in the brain. After a mini-stroke, you need to monitor your health more carefully:

Engage in timely treatment of any diseases, including infectious ones.
Monitor blood pressure and cholesterol levels and see a therapist and cardiologist.
Monitor your blood sugar, take medications to regulate it as needed, and eat in accordance with your doctor’s recommendations.
Take anticoagulants as prescribed by your doctor to reduce your risk of stroke. Discuss any problems you have with taking your medications with your doctor.
Walk 10 thousand steps a day, lead a healthy lifestyle. Give up bad habits, reduce alcohol consumption to a minimum.
Maintain a healthy weight. Excess body weight increases the risk of hypertension and is an independent risk factor for micro-strokes.

It is recommended to perform physical activities that raise the heart rate. You can calculate your heart rate for aerobic exercise using the formula: (210-age)x 0.6. Walking at a speed of 5-6 km/h is one of the methods of prevention if there are contraindications for running in the form of chronic heart disease. You can use an exercise bike, play table tennis, or simple exercises with a rubber expander.

Meals need to be balanced in favor of healthy fats, reduced sugar, increased fruits and fiber. Additionally, take omega-3 fatty acids in capsules, vitamin D3, vitamin E.

Stress factor is one of the most important factors identified in the pathogenesis of micro-strokes and heart diseases. The release of adrenaline causes the same spasm of blood vessels, disrupting breathing and blood supply to the brain. The only way to protect yourself from stress in a world filled with negative information is through affirmations and meditation. It is useful to “let off steam” after a stressful situation - use synthesized adrenaline for action, for example, going for a walk. To reduce spasm, breathing exercises help - correct diaphragmatic breathing. It involves expanding the lower ribs as you inhale and contracting the abdominal muscles as you exhale.

Treatment methods

Ideally, the reason for starting therapy is the very first signs of cerebral circulatory disorders, but this happens very rarely. If there are vague symptoms of a microstroke, treatment is rarely started earlier than a day from its onset.

The main drugs for the treatment of cerebrovascular disorders are:

Thrombolytics - this group of drugs hits the heart of blood clots - dissolves the blood clot and restores blood flow in the vessel (streptokinase, urokinase, alteplase and others). But the effect of thrombolytic therapy can be obtained only within 72 hours from the onset of thrombosis, but in case of hemorrhagic strokes, such drugs will kill the patient. It is important to clearly know what type of stroke you are dealing with.
Anticoagulants are a group of drugs aimed at preventing blood clotting and the formation of blood clots - heparin and its low-molecular analogues (fragmin, fraxiparin and others).
Disaggregants are agents that prevent the “clumping” of blood cells: aspirin, clopidogrel, dipyridamole, and so on.
Diuretics, especially mannitol, selectively remove swelling from brain tissue, preventing more severe complications - wedging of swollen brain tissue into the foramen magnum.
Antihypertensive drugs – use both “essential” drugs and constant, specially selected therapy during the recovery period.
Neuroprotectors are a wide group of drugs and vitamins to support brain cells during the recovery stage - antioxidant complex, B vitamins, magnesium, nootropics, and so on.

Types of drugs, their combinations and course of treatment are prescribed only by a doctor.

At the recovery stage, rehabilitation measures are extremely important - physical therapy, water procedures, physiotherapy, classes with a speech therapist and rehabilitation specialist, therapeutic diets, sanatorium-resort treatment. The more persistent and hardworking the patient is, the sooner lost brain functions will return to him and speech, hearing, vision, and muscle strength will be restored.

It is very important to undergo the treatment prescribed by your doctor, take blood pressure medications, and antiplatelet agents. It is necessary to follow a diet, give up alcohol and smoking, exercise, get enough sleep and walk a lot.

Changing our lifestyle

If the patient lacks motivation to exercise, relatives should not force him, they should wait a little with exercise

A micro-stroke is not even a hint, but an urgent requirement to reconsider your lifestyle, because if decisive measures are not taken, there is a 60% chance that the attack will recur within a year and the result can be much worse.

First of all, you need to carefully follow all the doctor’s prescriptions. It is unacceptable to skip medications and treatment procedures.
You need to pay attention to your diet. It is better to remove fatty, salty and fried foods from it and use more greens, fruits, and lean sea fish. Limit eggs (no more than 3 per week) and dairy products, as well as consumption of caviar and shrimp. Use black bread made from whole grains or bran. It is better to avoid coffee and strong tea altogether.
It is necessary to eliminate such bad habits as smoking and drinking alcohol.
Reasonable physical activity is also necessary. You can start with short walks in the fresh air. Further recommendations depend on the individual condition and are prescribed by the attending physician.

Video: How the disease manifests itself and what are its consequences

General symptoms

A microstroke causes symptoms characteristic of cerebral circulatory disorders, but its first signs in women and men are difficult to distinguish from ordinary ailments. These include:

Headache.
Feeling weak.
Nausea.
The appearance of fog before the eyes.
Increased sweating, tremors of the limbs, hot flashes. These symptoms are caused by a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system.

Most people, feeling unwell, do not rush to see a doctor. If one small vessel was affected, then the clinical picture may be limited to the listed set of symptoms. When several small arteries are involved in ischemia, the signs of the pathological process will continue to progress and become brightly colored.

The main symptoms of a microstroke:

Numbness of part of the face and limbs. The side opposite to the lobe of the brain in which ischemia occurred will be affected.
Increased headache. At its peak levels, a person vomits.
A sharp increase in blood pressure.
Gait disturbance.
Noise in ears.
Difficulty maintaining balance.
Disorientation in space.
Increased sensitivity to bright light and loud sounds, their intolerance.
Increasing general weakness.
Feeling dazed.
Increased drowsiness.
Double vision, difficulty focusing vision.
Disturbances in swallowing food.
Problems with speech, difficulty pronouncing sounds.

The symptoms of a microstroke disappear completely within a few hours. If they persist for more than a day, they are regarded as a full-fledged stroke.

Provoking factors

A microstroke is in no way associated with any infectious pathogens. Impaired blood flow occurs due to existing internal pathologies, mainly of a cardiovascular nature. The risk group includes the following categories of people:

Having various diseases of the cardiovascular system;
Those who abuse bad habits;
Hypertensive patients;
Suffering from diabetes;
Those suffering from excess weight, especially obesity;
Not following the principles of healthy eating;
Having disrupted hormonal levels;
Those who neglect physical exercise and prefer a passive sedentary lifestyle.

Diabetes mellitus can be a provoking factor for a micro-stroke.
Provoking factors for a micro-stroke on the legs can be severe stress, physical wear and tear of the body due to a long lack of proper rest, a sharp change in weather conditions if the patient has weather dependence, etc.

How are brain dysfunctions treated?

During a microstroke, the cells die in the first hours, but since the extent of the damage is insignificant, the brain tissue and lost functions are gradually restored. For a complete recovery, the victim must be taken to the hospital within 3 hours after the attack. The technique is based on the need to restore cerebral blood flow in the affected area. To select the optimal treatment regimen, it is important to study the medical history – complaints, medications used.

Microstroke treatment involves comprehensive:

Agents that dilate blood vessels and improve blood flow (Instenon, Xanthinol);
Medicines that restore metabolic processes and microcirculation in blood vessels;
Medicines that prevent the fusion of platelets and their accumulation on the walls of blood vessels such as Ticlopidine and Dipyridamole;
Metabolic drugs that help saturate the blood with oxygen (Mexicor and Actovegin);
Nootropics that improve brain activity such as Cinnarizine;
Means that control blood pressure.

Instenon

Xanthinol

Dipyridamole

Mexicor

Actovegin

Cinnarizine

The main goal of therapy is to prevent a new attack. If a microstroke is detected in a newborn (this happens with prolonged brain hypoxia), the course of treatment is selected with special care, since many drugs are too aggressive for the infant’s gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system. In parallel, maintenance therapy is prescribed.

Signs of a childhood ministroke are often ignored until severe neurological symptoms appear. Only qualified assistance at an early stage will help reduce health damage.

At home, treatment options are limited to first aid. The patient is placed on a flat surface, slightly raising his head. It is very important to give him a sedative, since panic only complicates the course of the disease. There must be a sufficient flow of oxygen in the room.

At the rehabilitation stage, physiotherapy, massage, classes with a speech therapist, and therapeutic exercises are recommended. A balanced diet and adherence to the principles of a healthy lifestyle are mandatory after a mini-stroke. American researchers believe that pine cones are an effective tool for restoring brain capabilities.

Hirudotherapy also actively fights pathological changes in the brain. Medicinal leeches normalize blood flow and free blood vessels from blood clots. Sessions are held only in specialized centers. The procedure is contraindicated for pregnant women.

To eliminate the risk of relapse, the victim should be observed by a doctor for some time. It is important to eliminate the cause that provoked the micro-stroke (minimize stressful situations, reduce physical activity, etc.). If a microstroke was a consequence of some disease, the main attention is paid to the focal cause.

Symptoms of a microstroke depending on its location

A microstroke provokes specific symptoms, depending on the location of its location, which will cause the first and subsequent signs to differ in both men and women. Taking this factor into account, the following are distinguished:

Symptoms of ischemia of vessels branching from the middle cerebral artery. The main symptom is disturbance of movements in the right or left half of the body. With a microstroke, they are weakly expressed, spreading only to the face, less often to the fingers and hands. Sensitivity on the side opposite to the affected lobe of the brain decreases.
Symptoms of microstroke of the branches of the anterior cerebral artery. Movement disorders come to the fore. Speech and facial expressions suffer, as there is partial paresis of the tongue and face.
Symptoms of ischemia of vessels branching from the posterior cerebral artery. First of all, visual function suffers. Flashes before the eyes and hallucinations may occur.

Symptoms are mild and disappear within a few hours.

Limbic system

Responsible for fundamental cognitive activity. A specific symptom is amnesia.

As in the case of damage to the temporal lobes, an anterograde, global failure occurs, and other forms are possible.

The patient loses the ability to learn something new; rehabilitation measures should be aimed at correcting cerebral blood flow.

With a microstroke, cognitive abilities are restored on their own after a few hours.

An additional symptom is emotional “stupidity.” Lack of reactions to stimuli, inability to feel anything.

Finally, there is a total loss of smell.

Consequences of brain damage

Despite the fact that most often minor stroke occurs without obvious negative changes in the patient’s condition, the situation cannot be ignored. Refusal of medical care and subsequent prevention of relapses threatens the development of a new attack. The consequences of a mini-stroke in men can manifest themselves a considerable time after the onset of the first symptoms. In some cases, this is chronic fatigue, weakness and deep depression. In others - decreased performance, mood swings and increasing nervous tension. As a result, this leads to increased absent-mindedness, impaired attention, irritability and aggression. In men with a history of mini-stroke, memory may deteriorate and organ functionality may decrease.

The consequences of the disease are discussed in more detail in this article.

Consequences of a microstroke in men

Men often refuse to visit a doctor if they feel unwell - they are the leaders in the number of belatedly detected foci of brain tissue damage. Often a micro-stroke suffered on the legs is complicated by a major stroke, the development of cardiovascular diseases, and can result in the death of the patient.

The neurology clinic at the Yusupov Hospital provides 24-hour care to stroke patients. In the hospital, you can undergo urgent diagnostics, and a neurologist will prescribe treatment that will help reduce the risk of complications. At the Yusupov Hospital, patients can undergo rehabilitation after a stroke and heart attack. Sign up for a consultation by phone.

Author

Vladimir Vladimirovich Kvasovka

Deputy General Director for Medical Affairs, general practitioner, gastroenterologist, candidate of medical sciences

Recovery after a mini-stroke

A patient’s recovery after a mini-stroke is best done at home. The minimum comprehensive non-drug rehabilitation program consists of:

eliminating stressful situations;
quitting smoking and drinking alcohol;
diet therapy, nutrition correction, combating obesity;
herbal medicine;
physical therapy and massage, regular physical activity;
physiotherapeutic procedures, water and heat therapy, climatotherapy;
other non-traditional methods of treatment and rehabilitation (acupuncture, yoga, hirudotherapy, etc.).

After suffering a micro-stroke, patients are strictly prohibited from eating salty, fatty, spicy foods, which will only aggravate the general course of the disease. The diet of patients should be high-calorie, containing a large amount of vitamins (potassium and magnesium), necessary to normalize the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Prognosis for recovery after a mini-stroke depends on its causes:

If it is on the surface (excess weight, stress), then eliminating provocateurs will be the best prevention of relapses and complications;
If the cause was a specific disease, a regimen for its treatment is developed.

How to recognize - main and hidden signs

Very often, the patient does not realize that he has suffered a stroke and cannot even clearly identify its signs and manifestations: irritability, weakness, dizziness, unfortunately, are familiar to a modern person of any gender and age and are usually mistaken for fatigue, overwork, nervous stress. Severe headaches and migraines also do not surprise anyone and are not considered a reason to see a doctor.

loss of sensitivity in the face, inability to control facial expressions;
incoherent, monosyllabic speech;
blurred vision - the victim is unable to look at one point with both eyes;
poor coordination of movements, wobbling gait;
nausea, in severe cases ending in an attack of vomiting;
increased sensitivity to loud noises and bright lights;
fever or chills.

A micro stroke differs from a real stroke in the duration and severity of symptoms. If, after taking medications that stabilize blood pressure and the functioning of the heart muscle, the discomfort goes away and the condition returns to normal (in healthy, young people, symptoms can go away on their own, without the use of medications), then it was a micro-stroke. If your health worsens, the symptoms begin to manifest themselves more intensely - immediate treatment in a hospital is required

A microstroke on the legs can last from 5 minutes to a day.

A stroke is not necessarily a sharp pain, loss of consciousness and an “ambulance”; such brain damage does not always lead to immediate death, as some believe. Sometimes they are almost asymptomatic; a man or woman may not even be aware of their condition. While a stroke suffered on the legs leads to serious complications.

Description and types

What to do if you suspect a microstroke

The first thing that is recommended if you suspect a cerebrovascular accident is to seek emergency medical help. If the attack occurs against the background of high blood pressure, then it must be gradually reduced, but not allowed to fall below 140/90 mm Hg. Art., as this will lead to an even greater deterioration in the nutrition of brain neurons. For this purpose, Dibazol, No-spa, Magnesium sulfate is usually used intravenously or intramuscularly.

Before the ambulance arrives, you must:

take a horizontal position with your head raised;
apply cold to the head and a warm heating pad to the feet;
ensure free flow of fresh air;
You can take an Aspirin tablet or dissolve 10 tablets of 0.1 g of Glycine.

Then, after eliminating the manifestations of a transient cerebrovascular accident, it is imperative to undergo an examination. It includes:

consultation with an ophthalmologist, neurologist, cardiologist;
blood tests - general, coagulogram, lipid spectrum, blood sugar;
Ultrasound with duplex scanning of the vessels of the head and neck;
rheoencephalography;
Brain MRI with angiography;
X-ray or CT scan of the spine (cervical spine);
ECG;
Ultrasound of the heart (as recommended by a cardiologist).

Watch the video about the signs of a microstroke, the reasons for its development and consequences:

Why does a microstroke occur - signs, treatment, consequences

In official medicine, there is no such thing as a microstroke.
There is only one specific diagnosis - stroke, when, in the event of an acute cerebrovascular accident, a person develops neurological symptoms, either cerebral or focal, in just a few hours or minutes. But in practice, microstroke and ministroke are often terms used by both doctors and patients. Let's figure out what it is, how it occurs and what signs indicate that a person has had a mini-stroke.

A microstroke is a transient circulatory disorder or an ischemic attack of the brain, which in its symptoms is very similar to a stroke, but unlike it, with a microstroke, the signs and all symptoms quickly go away from a few minutes to 24 hours.

Most often, a transient ischemic attack occurs due to a blood clot, which leads to a temporary blockage or restriction of blood supply to some part of the brain, but as a rule, only small vessels, and when the blood flow is restored, the “stroke-like” symptoms disappear. In a true stroke, the affected vessel or several vessels remain blocked.

In fact, a microstroke is the same stroke, only affecting small vessels of the brain, so the violation is hardly noticeable, and recovery occurs quickly.

The insidiousness of a micro-stroke is that a person has no idea what happened, but this is the first signal, a warning that there is a real risk of a serious stroke in the future.

It is possible to establish that a person had a pinpoint hemorrhage in the brain only as a result of a pathological examination (see a simple test to determine the risk of stroke).

Provoking risk factors for the development of pinpoint hemorrhages in the brain also include:

Age. The risk increases significantly with age, especially after 60 years of age. But today, with other provoking factors and concomitant diseases, the risk increases after 35 years.
Overeating, obesity, overweight, poor nutrition, eating large amounts of fatty foods.
Sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work, lack of regular physical activity.
Alcohol abuse
Smoking
Meteosensitivity
Diabetes
Excessive exercise
Chronic fatigue and stress

The cause of a micro-stroke is a spasm of small blood vessels that supply the brain, therefore, due to pinpoint hemorrhage, some of the cells die. The process of death of brain cells during a microstroke takes an average of 6 hours, and then there is a gradual restoration of the damaged area of the brain.

The signs of a mini-stroke are identical to the symptoms of a serious stroke, therefore, if the following ailments appear, a person should take a motionless position, raise his head, put a cold towel on his forehead, provide fresh air in the room and call an ambulance. The main symptoms include:

Numbness of the face and limbs
Dizziness and sudden intense headache (see forehead headache)
A sharp increase in blood pressure
Poor coordination of movements, having problems walking or maintaining balance
Hypersensitivity to bright lights and loud noises

There may also be additional symptoms:

General weakness - feeling dazed, tired, drowsy
Possibly, but not necessarily, brief loss of consciousness
Short-term visual impairment
Problems with speech, difficulty in pronunciation and understanding of speech

Even if only 4-5 of the listed signs of a microstroke appear, this is a reason for an immediate medical examination and provision of appropriate assistance.

Micro-strokes do not go away without leaving a trace: several of these minor disorders of cerebral circulation lead to suppression of intellectual function up to dementia (dementia).

These are Dopplerography and Duplex scanning - methods that can assess blood circulation in the brain and vessels of the neck. In addition, within a few hours, possible blood clots are identified using Doppler ultrasound and duplex examination.

In case of a microstroke, it is very important to provide medical medical assistance in a timely manner. Therapy can be effective only in the first 3 hours after the onset of characteristic symptoms, therefore, the sooner a person is taken to a medical facility, the faster he receives help, the greater the patient’s chances of full recovery. If more than 6 hours have passed since the mini-stroke, any therapy will be ineffective.

To restore blood flow in the affected area of the brain, the following drugs are used:

Vasodilators - Xanthinol nicotinate, Pentoxifylline, Instenon.
Angioprotectors are agents that improve metabolic processes and microcirculation in blood vessels, reducing vascular permeability - Tanakan, Bilobil, Nimodipine.
Antiplatelet agents are drugs that reduce the ability of platelets to unite and adhere to the walls of blood vessels - Aspirin, Dipyridamole, Ticlopidine.
Metabolic drugs - Actovegin, Mexicor (Mexifin).
Nootropics are drugs that increase the resistance of brain cells to aggressive influences, improve memory and mental activity - Vinpocetine, Piracetam, Cerebrolysin, Cinnarizine.
During the recovery period, the patient is prescribed massage, breathing exercises, physical therapy, diet, and physiotherapy.

Very interesting studies conducted by American scientists have proven that the use of pine cones against stroke. significantly reduce the effects of brain cell destruction. Therefore, everyone who is at risk for micro-stroke, stroke, and simply everyone who monitors their health, especially people over 40 years of age, can undergo courses of such therapy for preventive purposes, using an infusion or tincture of pine shishes. More about this in our article.

Most often, after transient cerebrovascular accidents, there are no noticeable immediate consequences. However, some people after suffering a micro-stroke may experience disorders such as memory impairment, decreased concentration, absent-mindedness, and may also experience increased irritability, depression, tearfulness, or, conversely, aggressiveness.

But there are cases when, literally within the next 3 days after a pinpoint hemorrhage, the patient experiences a serious hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke. According to statistics, in 60% of cases after a mini-stroke, a repeated transient ischemic attack of the brain occurs. And, accordingly, the consequences become more severe.

A history of cerebrovascular accident should serve as a reason to think about the state of your health and change your lifestyle. Normalize the regime of rest and work, physical activity, give up smoking and alcohol, follow a diet, undergo medical examination every 2-3 years in order to promptly diagnose and treat coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and other diseases.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3jEPSBCRJ8

Often in medical practice there are episodes of a serious cardiovascular disease such as a stroke. Even such an ordinary disease as a cold requires a reduction in daily activity and adherence to bed rest. Otherwise, this may be fraught with the development of serious complications that can become chronic. The situation with a stroke is much more serious. How is it possible to survive a stroke “on your feet”?

By what signs can you identify a woman’s stroke on her own?

How to identify a stroke

If you suspect a stroke, ask the woman to do a few simple steps:

Smile. If she has a stroke, she will either not be able to do this, or her mouth will become distorted, since one half of her face will remain motionless.
Stick your tongue out of your mouth. If the tongue is directed to the side, this is a stroke. Moreover, the tip of the tongue will rush towards the site of brain damage (if it deviates to the left, the left hemisphere is affected and vice versa).
Raise your hands. During a stroke, the patient will not be able to do this, and even if she can, she will not be able to hold them up due to muscle weakness.
Say something. Say a simple phrase and ask him to repeat it. Due to speech disorders, the patient will not be able to speak or will say something incomprehensible.

During a stroke, a woman may fall due to lack of coordination of movements and partial loss of control over her body.

Video - Stroke: symptoms and causes, treatment methods. First aid for stroke

Forecast

A microstroke is a serious pathology, and even if irreversible consequences were avoided this time, the further development of events largely depends on the patient himself. The results of numerous studies confirm that if you do not pay enough attention to your health, the disease will definitely return over the next 2 years, and the mortality rate in this case exceeds 20%. But if you take timely measures and regularly carry out the necessary set of examinations and prescribed treatment, then your quality of life will not suffer.

A microstroke is a very serious condition that requires a reconsideration of your attitude to health and lifestyle. After all, even if after the attack all functions were fully restored, some part of the brain, albeit tiny, was irretrievably lost. Paying close attention to your health and carefully following the instructions of specialists will help you avoid recurrence of attacks.

Treatment of microstroke

At first, the patient is treated in a hospital setting. A person is prescribed drug therapy that helps restore the activity of blood vessels in the brain. When the medications are stopped, the patient is allowed to go home. Here the patient needs to continue treatment. The therapy is based on a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition.

As you recover, you need to introduce physical activity into your daily routine. At first they should be minimal. In the future, the amount of exercise can be gradually increased. In addition to playing sports, the patient is recommended to:

avoid stress;
quit smoking and alcohol;
take massage courses;
maintain normal weight.

Eating during recovery should not provoke a new attack. Spicy, fatty, salty foods should be completely excluded. Products for the diet should be selected with large amounts of magnesium and potassium. There should be 5-6 meals a day: 3-4 main meals and 2-3 snacks. The following products are also prohibited:

carbonated drinks;
packaged juices;
smoked meats;
flour products;
semi-finished products;
strong tea and coffee.

When choosing a menu, you need to focus on a daily calorie content of no more than 2500 kcal. It is recommended to include foods from the list in your diet:

fruit drinks;
herbal decoctions;
dairy products;
vegetables and fruits;
seafood;
fish;
legumes;
blueberry.

First aid

If alarming signs of a microstroke appear, you should immediately call an ambulance. After the call, you need to provide first aid to the patient. The patient’s life and his further recovery depend on it. First aid is provided according to the following instructions:

Place the patient on a hard surface. When outdoors, choose a shady place.
To avoid brain swelling, elevate your head. When vomiting, turn her on her side so that the vomit does not enter the respiratory tract and lead to asphyxia.
To ensure normal breathing, unfasten tight clothing, loosen the belt, and, if necessary, rip the collar of the sweater. Apply cold to your head.
Measure blood pressure - if it is high, give the patient an antihypertensive drug. Antispasmodics are prohibited.

Drug therapy

Certain medications are prescribed taking into account the patient’s condition and the cause of his mini-stroke. It is impossible to say exactly the duration of use and dosage of the drugs, since they are selected exclusively by the doctor based on the clinical picture of the pathology. The goals of drug therapy are to restore normal blood flow and prevent complications. For this, the following drugs are prescribed:

Thrombolytics: Streptokinase, Alteplase, Tenecteplase. Prescribed to dissolve a blood clot and restore blood flow in the vessels. They cannot be used for hemorrhagic stroke.
Anticoagulants: Heparin, Fragmin, Fraxiparin. These medications are indicated to prevent blood clots by reducing blood clotting.
Antiplatelet agents: Dipyridamole, Aspirin, Clopidogrel. These drugs prevent platelets from sticking together, so they are used to reduce the risk of blood clots.
Antihypertensive: Corinfar, Nifedipine, Cordipine. This group of drugs is used both for emergency care and for recovery after a mini-stroke. Medicines lower blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of blood clots. The dosage of each drug is determined individually.
Diuretics: Mannitol, Furosemide. These drugs relieve cerebral edema by removing excess fluid. The indication for their use is to prevent wedging of swollen brain tissue into the foramen magnum.
Neuroprotectors: Piracetam, Cerebrolysin, Vinpocetine. They are indicated to improve memory and increase the brain's resistance to hypoxia.

Prevention

The main condition for prevention is blood pressure control, since its increase is the cause of various types of stroke. To do this, a person is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

reduce the influence of factors that cause stress;
provide yourself with adequate sleep;
Healthy food;
stop drinking alcohol and smoking;
keep weight under control;
do not trigger chronic diseases;
exercise;
If you have diabetes, control your sugar levels.

The first noticeable indicators of the disease

You can check for a stroke in the following ways:

standing in front of the patient, ask him to smile; with a microstroke, there is a distortion or immobility of the facial muscles on one side of the face;
the tongue, if stuck out, will be turned or bent to the side;
one of the straightened arms turned palms up in case of lesions of cerebral circulation will deviate to the side or down within a few moments;
when pronouncing a short phrase, speech distortion is observed, it becomes slurred, as if intoxicated.

You can learn about the first signs of heart failure in women in a separate material on our website. And what are the signs of heart failure in men and how they differ from women’s – in our other article.

How to treat heart failure with folk remedies? Read about it here.

First signs

Pathology can be identified by symptoms typical of a “regular” stroke. At the stage of providing first aid, the diagnosis of a microstroke is never made, since it is impossible to assess the degree of cerebral circulatory disorders only on the basis of the patient’s complaints and examination.

All patients with a characteristic clinical picture are hospitalized in a hospital with a diagnosis of stroke.

However, unlike a stroke, this disorder causes irreversible death of a small number of neurons. Most often, the consequences of a ministroke are well compensated, and no neurological deficit remains.

For a microstroke, there are two groups of symptoms:

General cerebral – neurological disorders that occur as a result of increased intracranial pressure, cerebral edema, and impaired outflow of cerebrospinal fluid. They do not give a clear idea of the location of the microstroke focus.
Focal - signs characteristic of local damage to the structures of the central nervous system. By their nature, it is possible to determine which area of the brain is damaged as a result of a disruption in blood supply.

General cerebral symptoms manifest themselves:

dizziness;
suddenly developed headache;
ataxia – loss of coordination;
anxiety, fear of death;
fainting and other types of disturbance of consciousness (stunning, stupor, stupor);
flashing “flies” before the eyes;
nausea, vomiting;
intolerance to bright light and noise.

Focal signs are different and depend on the artery in which the microstroke occurred:

Pool	Symptoms of a microstroke
Internal carotid artery (carotid)	transient mono- and hemiparesis - decreased muscle strength in one limb or half of the body; decreased peripheral sensitivity; numbness of the limbs and face; feeling of “goosebumps” crawling on the skin; speech disorders.
Vertebral and basilar arteries (vertebrobasilar)	hemianopsia – bilateral blindness in half the visual field; nystagmus – involuntary eye vibrations; diplopia – double vision; photopsia - the appearance of bright flashes and lightning in the field of view; ataxia; disorientation in time and space.

Often the above symptoms are not fully expressed and not sharply expressed. The patient feels only malaise, headache, dizziness, intolerance to light and sound stimuli, numbness of the limbs, and a slight lack of coordination of movements.

Often, a microstroke is diagnosed after the fact, when a person goes to the doctor with complaints about the consequences of a brain catastrophe - frequent headaches, attacks of dizziness. During the examination, the neurologist can identify areas of hemorrhage and areas of necrosis in the brain tissue.

It is not difficult to recognize a micro-stroke in both men and women at home. It is enough to carry out a simple but reliable test developed by American neurologists, which makes it possible to diagnose acute vascular disorders in the central nervous system in 80% of cases.

In the English-speaking environment, this test is called FAST (Face (face) - Arm (hand) - Speech (speech) - Test):

The patient is asked to smile broadly and stick out his tongue. With hemiplegia, there is a noticeable asymmetry; the corner of the mouth “sags” on one side.
The victim raises his arms straight at an angle of 90° and tries to hold them for 5-10 seconds. With a ministroke, one of the arms slowly drops.
The patient is asked to say a short, simple phrase, for example, the day of the week or his name. At the same time, his speech is illegible and slurred.

The presence of at least one alarming symptom is a reason to immediately call an ambulance.

Even if the symptoms of the disease disappear after a few minutes, it is important that the affected man is examined by doctors who will find out the cause of problems with blood circulation in the brain and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Signs of a microstroke suffered on the legs

Signs of a microstroke suffered on the legs can be pronounced or mild - it depends on many factors:

size and location of the damaged cerebral vessel;
timeliness of measures taken;
the patient's health status and age.

The main symptoms of a microstroke are disturbances in facial expression, speech, coordination and balance while walking, dizziness and headache. During a mini-stroke, vision may be temporarily impaired, nausea, chills may appear, or the patient may feel hot. When adequate treatment is prescribed, the patient’s condition improves, and the symptoms of a ministroke disappear.

Causes and first symptoms of a microstroke - how the signs differ in women and men

Anyone who is reading this article now could have suffered a mini-stroke at some point in their lives without knowing it.

This problem is characterized by the fact that it can pass with fairly mild symptoms, but lead to extremely undesirable consequences (including death).

A microstroke is a “bell” for us and our body that something is not working correctly in the vascular system.

The concept is defined as transient dysfunction in the circulatory system, or an ischemic attack of the brain.

The symptoms of a stroke and a microstroke are quite similar, but an attack of a microstroke lasts from 5 minutes to a day and is more mildly expressed.

A microstroke is the same stroke, but it affected smaller vessels and therefore did not affect the body’s condition with strong consequences.

Sometimes a micro-stroke can be detected using an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging of the brain), which will show pinpoint hemorrhages.

After a spasm, a rupture of a vessel, or a small blood clot occurs in the small vessels of the brain that feed it, some of the cells simply die. On average, the death of brain cells lasts 6 hours.

Afterwards, the damaged area of the brain is restored (unlike a regular stroke, in which the damage is almost irreversible).

The list of phenomena that cause a micro-stroke is quite “standard” and applies to many diseases of the cardiovascular system:

binge eating;
obesity;
alcohol abuse;
sedentary work and constant physical inactivity;
frequent overwork, stress;
smoking;
excessive physical activity;
bad ecology;
previous heart surgery (for example, valve replacement);
excessive amounts of animal fats in the daily diet;
constant cold climatic conditions (provoke an increase in blood pressure);
a sharp change in the usual climatic and weather conditions.

Brain tomography is a very popular study in neurology, but are there any contraindications to brain MRI? The drug Sonapax has found widespread use in the treatment of mental disorders, reviews of which you can find in our material.

Among the main ones:

diabetes mellitus (as a reaction to surges in blood sugar);
progressive atherosclerosis (as the lumen in the vessels decreases);
transient stroke in the heart;
infectious and rheumatic lesions of the heart valves (which lead to the development of endocarditis and destruction of the heart valves);
congenital heart defects;
arteritis (inflammation affecting the internal walls of the arteries);
malignant formations;
hypertensive heart disease.
thrombosis;
apnea (sudden cessation of breathing during sleep for more than 10 seconds).

The risk group for microstroke is:

The first, most obvious category is people suffering from the above diseases and who tend to lead a lifestyle that is described in detail in the paragraph “Causes of a mini-stroke.”
Another important factor is heredity. If a close relative in the family has suffered a stroke or myocardial infarction, the patient automatically falls into the risk group.
Pregnant women (due to active expansion and contraction of the uterus).
Women taking contraceptives.
The risk of micro-stroke increases with age (45 – 60 years). However, it can be transferred even to 30 years of age.
Women are at risk after 60 years of age, and men after 40.
People who suffer from regular headaches and are weather dependent are more likely to suffer a mini-stroke.

As already mentioned, the disease may go away barely noticeably, or it may have pronounced signs of progression.

Common symptoms of a microstroke include:

sudden headache, dizziness, attacks of nausea;
increased sensitivity to light, sharp sounds and smells;
numbness of the limbs, face, sensation of goosebumps;
weakness in the arms or legs, loss of sensation in the limbs;
blurred vision, black or white spots in the eyes, double vision;
speech disorders: burr or lisp, feeling of a swollen and clumsy tongue;
facial asymmetry (for example, drooping eyelid);
a lump in the throat that you can’t swallow;
impaired coordination and gait (resembles the behavior of a drunk person);
short-term loss of consciousness;
increased blood pressure;
causeless fatigue, lethargy.

A number of signs of a micro-stroke (asymmetry, visual impairment...) will depend on the affected area of the brain. If the left hemisphere is affected, the symptoms appear on the right side of the body. And vice versa.

If at least 3 symptoms are diagnosed, this is a sure sign of an ischemic attack.

Unfortunately, a number of signs, due to their not being clearly expressed, people can attribute to “the end of the working day”, “getting off on the wrong foot”, or “magnetic storms”.

But it’s worth listening carefully enough to what the body is trying to tell us.

Since the female and male bodies have specific functioning characteristics, the risks and signs of micro-stroke in women and men also differ.

Women are more predisposed to the occurrence of micro-stroke and stroke: this is explained by a higher likelihood of blood clots and complications in the vascular system (physiological feature).

Also, women are less stress-resistant, more focused on problems, which automatically puts the fair sex at risk.

The symptoms of a microstroke in women will also be specific (in addition to the standard ones mentioned above), the main ones are:

severe numbness, weakness of both sides of the face or one of them;
tingling in the arms and legs (or one of the limbs);
inability to construct a clear, coherent statement;
red face, deep, rapid breathing;
convulsions;
blurred vision (in one or both eyes);
sudden, sharp headache.

However, some women showed atypical symptoms of a cerebral microstroke:

a sharp attack of hiccups;
depression, lack of control over emotions;
pain attack in one of the limbs;
severe nausea, abdominal pain;
loss of consciousness, disorientation;
chest pain;
dry mouth;
suffocation;
sudden rapid heartbeat.

It has also been established that women who smoke have a greater chance of having a micro-stroke than men who smoke.

There are symptoms of a mini-stroke that will be more typical for men:

cloudiness, confusion of creation;
a sudden attack of uncontrollable weakness;
hearing impairment;
unsteady gait;
inability to perceive the world around us normally;
speech disorder;
sudden headache.

This is the most common symptom among men.

However, in certain cases, atypical symptoms (more typical for women) are possible.

It is also possible to have almost complete absence of symptoms: in both women and men.

Very often, a microstroke is easier to identify from the outside than on your own (because people sometimes ignore their symptoms), so what symptoms of a microstroke appear first:

the man suddenly, without reason, fell silent and began to speak incoherently;

The photo shows the main symptoms of a microstroke

you are forced to ask him again several times; he does not respond to your questions, looks confused, in prostration; suddenly drops an object that was previously held tightly; It’s not on the first try that you manage to lift that object; suddenly begins to stutter; movements resemble a person who is intoxicated.

When identifying the first symptoms and signs of a microstroke, you must:

It is necessary to provide the patient with complete rest. If possible, place him on high pillows (so that his head is in an elevated position).
Open the window.
Loosen or remove tight clothing.
Measure blood pressure (in case of high blood pressure, give appropriate medication).
There is still an opportunity, you can take a hot foot bath, drink soothing herbal remedies (valerian tincture, hawthorn extract).
Apply ice to the back of your head.
Do not stand up suddenly or move.
You can perform a light massage (circular stroking from the temples to the back of the head, then from the crown to the shoulders, then to the knees).
You can't take antispasmodics.

Naturally, it will be necessary to undergo a special examination. with the help of which risk factors are identified and the occurrence of complications (in the form of a stroke, for example) is prevented.

To cure the consequences of the first micro-stroke and prevent the occurrence of the second, a number of measures are taken:

drug treatment (medicines aimed at restoring tissue and blood vessels, cleansing the body of toxins, normalizing metabolic processes, dilating blood vessels, reducing blood clotting);
eliminating the cause of a micro-stroke (for example, minimizing stress, reducing/increasing physical activity);
if a micro-stroke occurs due to some disease, measures will be aimed at the focal cause;
massage;
exercises with a speech therapist;
exercise therapy;
normalization of lifestyle;
blood pressure control.

Prognosis and consequences regarding further human conditions directly depend on the causes and symptoms of a mini-stroke:

If the cause is more superficial (for example, stress, obesity), then most likely, eliminating negative factors will be the best prevention of further micro-strokes and possible stroke.
However, if the cause of a micro-stroke is a consequence of a certain disease. then it is worth choosing additional comprehensive treatment.

It has been proven that even one minor stroke is an indication of the possibility of a major stroke in one out of ten cases.

And many people know about the consequences of a massive stroke - this is irreparable damage to health. Or death.

Get examined by a doctor in a timely manner to prevent relapse or the development of complications!

The first micro-stroke tells us that we need to be more attentive to the body.

Recent studies have found that long-term consequences for patients who have suffered a mini-stroke are not as safe as previously thought, even with complete restoration of the neurological status. It is interesting that with conventional diagnostics using CT and MRI, no abnormalities were detected after a month, but when stimulating the cerebral cortex with short magnetic pulses, a disturbance in the processes of neuronal excitation and a longer period of inhibition than normal were detected.

Causes of spasm

asthenia – weakness, loss of interest in the environment, weakening of memory;
neurasthenia – increased irritability, anxiety, insomnia, headache;
depressive states;
neurocirculatory dystonia;
dyscirculatory encephalopathy.

What causes a stroke

The main causes of stroke include pathologies of the cardiovascular system (arterial hypertension, arrhythmias, coronary heart disease and its complications, atherosclerosis of cerebral blood vessels), diabetes mellitus, old age, exposure to stress, physical and psycho-emotional stress, excess weight, unhealthy lifestyle (lack of sleep, overwork, poor nutrition, physical inactivity).

At what pressure a stroke occurs depends on the patient’s working blood pressure. Thus, in women with hypotension, a stroke can occur even with blood pressure that is considered low, for example, at 130/95 mmHg. Art.

The risk of stroke increases in women during pregnancy, especially in the case of its pathological course, with prolonged use of oral contraceptives, chronic migraines, polycystic ovary syndrome, mastopathy, and the presence of bad habits (smoking is especially dangerous over the age of 35).

Signs of a stroke can be typical or atypical. The latter are more characteristic of females; they can complicate diagnosis in the first hours of the development of the pathology.

The causes of hemorrhagic strokes include congenital changes in the blood vessels of the brain (aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations), and traumatic brain injuries.

What is a microstroke

If we turn to medical terms, a microstroke is considered necrosis, that is, destruction, of a part of the brain due to insufficient blood supply. This can happen either due to complete blockage of the lumen of the vessel by a thrombus, or due to its severe narrowing (for example, by an atherosclerotic plaque). The difference between this condition and a stroke lies only in the size of the vessel and the affected area. Due to the very small area of damage, the body is able to quickly compensate for the functions of dead nerve cells at the expense of others, and therefore it seems that health has been restored, but in fact a tiny area of the brain has ceased to exist. Unlike a stroke, the symptoms of a mini-stroke last from a few minutes to a day. That is why it is so important to take serious measures at the first signs of this disease, because the smaller the focus of necrosis, the greater the chance of recovery. However, you should not assume that the brain will recover on its own. Unfortunately, such cases are rare. If, despite the measures taken by doctors, the impaired functions could not be restored, then we will talk about a full-fledged stroke. That is why it is so important to seek qualified help in time, because in this case the question of whether brain damage will be limited to a micro-stroke or everything will be much more serious is decided not even by hours, but by minutes.