This article originally ran on February 16, 2021, and was updated on May 26, 2026.
Sometimes, you feel sick and nothing happens—a wave of nausea passes or a sore throat goes away—and you get on with your life. Don’t do that if you have any symptom of a stroke even if it lasts only a few seconds.
You may have had a transient ischemic attack, or a TIA.
“A TIA is essentially the same thing as a stroke, in that there’s a lack of blood flow to part of the brain,” says UNC Health neurologist Hartej Sethi, MD. “Where a TIA is different is that blood flow is restored very quickly, within seconds or minutes, and the symptoms clear.”
You may have heard TIAs called “ministrokes,” but Dr. Sethi says that term is misleading.
“‘Ministroke’ implies that the event was minor and not risky,” he says. “Even when symptoms are mild, this is a high-risk situation. There’s nothing ‘mini’ about a ‘ministroke.’”
That’s because nearly 1 in 5 people who have a TIA will go on to have a stroke in the next 90 days. If you can recognize the symptoms of a ministroke and get treatment, you have a better chance of avoiding that outcome.
Symptoms of a Transient Ischemic Attack
The symptoms of strokes and TIAs are the same and can be remembered with the acronym BE FAST.
B – Balance. You might feel off on one side as you move or lose your balance.
E – Eyes. Your vision might change suddenly. You might be unable to see anything, or you may have blurry or double vision.
F – Face. Your face may be numb on one side or droop.
A – Arm. One of your arms or legs will feel weak or one side of your body feels different.
S – Speech. You may have difficulty speaking or understanding what others are saying.
T – Time. If you have any one of these symptoms, act quickly.
“Sometimes, if you have dizziness or vertigo that comes on suddenly for a very brief period of time, that you have not experienced in the past, that can be a sign of a TIA and you should get an urgent evaluation, but it’s rarer compared to these common symptoms,” Dr. Sethi says.
TIA symptoms will come on quickly and last until blood flow is restored to the affected part of the brain. With an ischemic stroke, caused by a blood clot, doctors can administer intravenous medications called thrombolytics to break up the clot or perform a surgery called a thrombectomy to remove it.
With a TIA, the clot breaks up on its own or moves, often so quickly that it’s possible not to notice these symptoms.
“It’s usually one to five minutes in duration, and it can be hard to tell because the symptoms of stroke and TIA don’t hurt,” Dr. Sethi says. “Sometimes these symptoms are significant and clear-cut, but sometimes they’re very subtle.”
If you notice even one of these symptoms, however brief, go to the emergency department. While it might feel odd going to the emergency department if you’re not currently having symptoms, urgent cares rarely have a neurologist available or the advanced imaging necessary to evaluate you. Don’t wait to book an appointment with your primary care provider or a neurologist, either.
“There’s still urgency for confirming the diagnosis and evaluating why the TIA happened,” Dr. Sethi says. “Preventing the next event is critical.”
Reducing Your Risk for Stroke After a TIA
When you go to the emergency department with a suspected TIA, a doctor will start with a CT scan of your brain and a CT angiogram, a test that allows them to look at the blood vessels in your head and neck to see if they’re narrowed or blocked.
In some cases, the imaging will reveal a clot, the kind that could cause a full stroke, and you can receive thrombolytics or have a thrombectomy.
“We might also see narrowing of vessels, which is urgent and might require surgery within a day or two,” Dr. Sethi says. “We evaluate your heart and its rhythm, whether there’s any fibrillation or heart failure. Heart issues can cause TIAs without causing any other symptom.”
Depending on what these tests show and your individual situation, you may have additional tests to identify the potential cause of your TIA. You also may have tests to measure your brain function; while most TIAs are so quick that they don’t cause permanent damage to the brain, Dr. Sethi says some people may require some rehabilitation, such as physical therapy.
Then, your doctor will work with you to reduce your risk for a stroke.
“We call high blood pressure the silent killer because you don’t feel any symptoms, but it’s a common risk factor for a stroke,” Dr. Sethi says. “High blood sugar and high cholesterol are also major risk factors. All of those need to be controlled with lifestyle changes and medications when appropriate.”
Your scans may reveal previously undiagnosed heart issues, such as atrial fibrillation, that require additional treatments. Smoking is a huge risk factor for stroke, and your provider can give you resources on resources and programs to help you quit.
Your doctor will help you understand what to watch for in the coming months.
“TIAs are like a warning shot for another stroke, but that risk is frontloaded,” Dr. Sethi says. “That means the risk is highest in the first 48 hours after the TIA and for the first 90 days. After that, the risk is lower, especially if you’ve done what’s appropriate for stroke prevention.”
Dr. Sethi understands it can be worrying to know you’re at higher risk for a stroke.
“Are you at increased risk for stroke after a TIA? Yes, but that risk was there before and we didn’t know it,” he says. “Knowing you had a TIA can be reassuring because it gives you the best possible chance to do something to prevent the stroke.”
To learn more about your risk for stroke, talk to your doctor. If you need a doctor, find one near you.