Persons who experience mild stroke typically have a short hospital stay and will show symptoms of stroke that last longer than a day. Most likely the symptoms will go away after a short period. If the symptoms of stroke last <24 hours, this is usually called a transient ischemic attack. If brain lesions are detected by a brain scan (diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography) at the hospital,
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a diagnosis of mild stroke will be made even if the symptoms of stroke last <24 hours.The person affected with mild stroke is usually able to perform basic activities (eg, going to the bathroom, shopping) but may have difficulties with complex activities (eg, paying bills, remembering scheduled activities).
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Mild stroke should not be ignored by the patient or by the health care provider because persons with mild stroke are at risk for the following:What are the symptoms of mild stroke?
A person with mild stroke may experience various mental, behavioral, and physical symptoms just like those with severe stroke.
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Some symptoms may disappear quickly, whereas others may persist for a longer time.5
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The most common symptoms are fatigue, emotional disturbance, and memory, language, physical, and sensory difficulties.Poststroke fatigue
- •There are differences between poststroke fatigue and normal tiredness. The key difference between them is that rest may relieve normal tiredness but not poststroke fatigue.
- •Poststroke fatigue may not be related to activity level or sleep quality. This can make it difficult to participate in everyday activities (eg, cooking, cleaning, doing laundry).
Emotional disturbances
- •Sadness or hopeless.
- •Depression and depression-related symptoms (eg, changes in appetite, loss of interest in activities or hobbies, sleep disturbances, fatigue, even thoughts of suicide).
- •Frustration or anger or a sense of fear.
- •Anxiety and anxiety-related behaviors (eg, sleep disturbances, irritability, fatigue, lack of concentration).
- •Both depression and anxiety may be present.
Memory, language, and sensory difficulties
- •Difficulty concentrating.
- •Taking longer time to complete simple daily living activities.
- •Forgetting recently learned information (ie, problem with short-term memory).
- •Confusion with time or place.
- •Problems with speech or swallowing.
- •Loss of vision or difficulty seeing in one or both eyes.
- •Loss of balance and sudden headache.
Facial and limb muscle weakness and numbness
- •Weakness and/or numbness in the arm or leg or both on the same side.
- •The face may droop or look lopsided.
- •Difficulty speaking or swallowing.
- •Dizziness or problems with balance.
What are the risks of mild stroke?
After mild stroke, people are more likely to have another stroke. Most of the mild stroke symptoms will heal over time, but some symptoms may remain for months or years.
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If the symptoms continue or are left untreated, they may affect the person's activity, social life, work, and overall quality of life negatively.5
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When should you call the doctor?
The nature of the symptoms and effects of mild stroke varies from person to person. If you experience sudden numbness, confusion, trouble seeing, trouble walking, or severe headaches, you should call 911 immediately. After any type of stroke, you should have a 3-month follow-up with your doctor. Many mild stroke symptoms are subtle and are difficult to detect during initial hospitalization.
Tips on prevention of recurrent stroke and management of common symptoms experienced by people with mild stroke are listed in table 1.
Table 1Mild Stroke Symptoms and Management
Common Symptoms | What You Can Do | What Your Health Care Practitioner Can Do |
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Prevention and risk factor control 9 , 11 |
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Fatigue management 12 , 13 , 14 |
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Rehabilitation of mood disturbance 13 ,15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 |
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Cognitive rehabilitation 20 , 21 |
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Motor rehabilitation 22 , 23 |
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Medication 20 , 24 |
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Complementary and alternative medicine 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 |
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∗ Doctors need to consider the possible side effects of some medications on the patient's rehabilitation outcomes. The medications include anticholinergics, opiates, benzodiazepines, nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics (eg, zolpidem), digoxin, antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, skeletal muscle relaxants, antiepileptics, and hormonal therapy (estrogen or estrogen plus progestin).
Resources
National Stroke Association; available at: www.stroke.org/.
The Evidence-Based Review of Stroke Rehabilitation (EBRSR); available at: www.ebrsr.com.
Source
Our health information content is based on research evidence and represents the consensus of expert opinion.
Authorship
What Is Mild Stroke? was developed by Xiaolei Hu, MD, PhD, Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden (e-mail address: [email protected] ); Patricia C. Heyn, PhD, FACRM, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Denver, CO; Jaclyn Schwartz, PhD, OTR/L, Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Florida International University, Miami, FL; and Pamela Roberts, PhD, OTR/L, SCFES, FAOTA, CPHQ, FNAP, FACRM, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabiltiation, Cedars-Sinai Health System, Los Angeles, CA.
Disclaimer
This information is not meant to replace the advice from a medical professional. You should consult your health care provider regarding specific medical concerns or treatment. This Information/Education Page may be reproduced for noncommercial use for health care professionals to share with patients and their caregivers. Any other reproduction is subject to approval by the publisher.
References
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: April 28, 2017
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine