A TIA is a disabling and potentially life-changing medical event.
It can occur suddenly without warning, leaving sufferers with permanent brain damage. Some victims may experience a transient TIA, or TIA for short, which is essentially a brief interruption of blood supply to the brain like a car accident. For those with this condition it can be a very distressing experience, as it leaves them feeling dazed, confused and unable to process information or make decisions on their own.
Some people experience transient TIA’s as a result of a lack of oxygen to the brain, while others suffer from temporary cerebral dysfunction due to the inability to absorb nutrients in food, such as in diabetics, the elderly and those suffering from cancer. Whatever the reason for experiencing an attack, one thing is for sure. It is a serious medical problem that needs immediate medical attention. When TIA strikes, the victim feels a sharp, stabbing pain that usually radiates down the side of the head.
In order to properly assess if you may have a transient ischemic attack, you should see your doctor. Your doctor will take a complete history of your symptoms, check your medical and psychiatric history, and then perform an EKG. The EKG will also reveal any structural abnormalities in the head, such as aneurysms, that may be caused by TIA.
Your doctor will order a CT scan, MRI and/or a PET scan. This information will help your doctor to determine if you may suffer from a transient ischemic attack.
If a transient ischemic attack has occurred, it can lead to serious complications if not properly diagnosed and treated. The condition is also called transient ischemic optic atrophy, or TIA. The most common symptoms of TIA are headache, nausea, vomiting and even blurred vision. While TIA is normally characterized by sudden and unexplained weakness, nausea, dizziness and lightheadedness may also occur.
The symptoms of a transient ischemic attack may include a transient ischemic optic atrophy, or TIA, that is the inability to process oxygen-rich information, such as light or sound, due to temporary cerebral dysfunction. The most common symptom of TIA is dizziness, and it may be experienced suddenly and without warning.
Sometimes, TIA can also occur within the brain, rather than in the skull or brain cavity. This is referred to as a diffuse TIA, and it is most common in people who are undergoing surgery, have head injuries and those with epilepsy. Another common symptom of a diffuse TIA is seizures, although not all seizures that occur as a result of TIA are transient.
As stated previously, a TIA is often accompanied by a transient ischemic attack.
While it is very frightening to suffer from a TIA, the attacks can be managed and even reversed.
Treatments for TIA include medications, chiropractic care, nutritional counseling and the use of medical treatments including TCA (tricyclic anti-depressants). There are also a variety of surgical procedures that can be performed depending on the severity of the condition, and severity of the TIA itself. However, a combination of medications and treatments is always the best way to treat this condition.
One of the most common medications used to treat a transient ischemic attack is doxepin. Doxepin helps to reduce the amount of oxygen in the brain by constricting blood vessels and increasing blood flow.
Other medications used to treat the symptoms associated with a TIA are amitriptyline and tricyclic antidepressants. Antidepressants help to treat the nausea and vomiting associated with TIA, as well as the dizziness, blurred vision and other symptoms that can occur when there is TIA. in the brain. Antipsychotic medications are often prescribed to treat the symptoms of nausea and vomiting, such as dysthymia or nausea and vomiting.
For people who have TIA, surgery may be needed to remove a piece of the skull called the basilar membrane, or the basilar artery, which is the narrowing or blockage of the arteries in the neck and brain. In some cases, it may also be necessary to cut the part of the basilar artery that supplies blood to the brain.
While these medications and surgeries are very effective in treating TIA, you should be aware that they can only address the symptoms of TIA and do not provide treatment for the underlying cause. Therefore, you may find that in the long run, your condition may require further diagnosis, such as epilepsy.