A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or severely reduced, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. This can cause brain cells to die in minutes. A stroke is a medical emergency that requires prompt treatment. However, some people wonder if a minor stroke can heal on its own without treatment.
What is a stroke?
A stroke happens when a blood vessel bringing blood and oxygen to the brain gets blocked or ruptures. This deprives the brain tissue supplied by that vessel of oxygen and nutrients. When brain cells die from lack of oxygen, this is called an ischemic stroke. When a blood vessel leaks or ruptures, causing bleeding into the brain, this is called a hemorrhagic stroke.
There are two main types of stroke:
Ischemic stroke
This is the most common type of stroke, accounting for around 87% of cases. It happens when a clot blocks a blood vessel supplying the brain. The clot can form in the narrow arteries leading to the brain or can occur in the heart and travel to the brain. This is known as an embolic stroke.
Hemorrhagic stroke
This type accounts for around 13% of strokes. It occurs when a weakened blood vessel ruptures and bleeds into the surrounding brain tissue. High blood pressure and weak spots in blood vessel walls (aneurysms) can cause hemorrhagic strokes.
What happens during a stroke?
When the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and vital nutrients. Brain cells start dying within minutes. The effects of a stroke depend on the location and amount of damage. The side effects can include:
- Paralysis or weakness on one side of the body
- Vision problems
- Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
- Cognitive issues like memory problems
- Numbness or strange sensations
- Trouble walking or loss of balance and coordination
The brain controls everything we do, so the effects of stroke depend on the brain areas impacted. A stroke can affect motor function, speech, cognition, and more depending on the location.
Can minor strokes heal on their own?
A minor stroke, also called a transient ischemic attack (TIA), has the same origins as an ischemic stroke. A clot briefly blocks blood flow to part of the brain, causing stroke-like symptoms. However, in a TIA, symptoms last less than 24 hours before disappearing, often within minutes or hours.
With a minor stroke or TIA, the blockage is temporary, and blood flow resumes on its own without treatment. Brain cells don’t die because blood flow is restored before permanent damage can occur. That’s why the effects are temporary.
However, it’s crucial to realize that TIAs should never be ignored or go untreated:
- About 1 in 3 people who have a TIA will go on to have a major stroke within a year if untreated.
- Half of all strokes occur in people who had a previous TIA but didn’t get treatment.
- TIAs indicate major blockages in the arteries leading to the brain that can cause a full stroke.
So while TIAs themselves don’t cause permanent injury, they are a major warning sign of serious, underlying cardiovascular issues that need prompt medical attention.
Why you should never leave a minor stroke untreated
Minor strokes resolve quickly because blood flow is temporarily restored on its own. While brain cells don’t die, damage is still occurring:
- The temporary cutoff of oxygen can injure nerve connections.
- It increases the risk of future dementia.
- Part of the brain may remain dysfunctional.
More importantly, TIAs require emergency care because:
- They indicate arteries severely narrowed by plaque buildup.
- Blood clots are forming in the heart and traveling to the brain.
- A major stroke is likely to occur if untreated.
TIAs are the brain’s way of sending a distress signal about what’s happening in the cardiovascular system. Ignoring them places you at very high risk of a major, disabling stroke.
How are minor strokes treated?
Minor strokes require emergency medical evaluation and treatment to prevent a major stroke, including:
- Blood thinners – Anti-platelet drugs like aspirin or anticoagulants like warfarin thin the blood to prevent clot formation.
- Surgery – Procedures like carotid endarterectomy remove plaque blockages in the arteries leading to the brain.
- Angioplasty – Inserting a balloon catheter into a blocked neck artery and inflating it to widen the vessel.
- Stents – Inserting a tiny wire mesh tube into a narrowed artery to prop it open.
- Lifestyle changes – Your doctor will address risk factors like high cholesterol, smoking, obesity, and lack of exercise.
These interventions lower the chances of a subsequent stroke by 80-90% when started urgently after a TIA.
Outlook for minor strokes
With quick medical intervention, including medications, lifestyle changes, and possible surgery, people who have a TIA can largely prevent subsequent strokes.
Up to 80-90% of strokes can be avoided when TIAs are treated urgently to reduce underlying risk factors. Early action is key.
Can hemorrhagic strokes heal on their own?
Hemorrhagic strokes are caused by ruptured or leaking blood vessels rather than clots. They account for about 13% of strokes but a third of stroke deaths.
With a hemorrhage, blood spills into surrounding brain tissue, causing rapid damage. It is very dangerous and requires emergency surgery to stop the bleeding by:
- Repairing the leaking blood vessel.
- Blocking off the ruptured aneurysm.
- Removing pressure building up in the brain.
Unlike clots blocking blood flow, a hemorrhage will not resolve on its own. Surgery is always required to stop bleeding that threatens a person’s life.
Conclusion
Minor ischemic strokes or TIAs often resolve quickly as clots dislodge on their own. However, they are a major warning sign of cardiovascular disease and require emergency care to prevent a disabling stroke. Hemorrhagic strokes don’t heal without surgery and cause severe damage. No stroke should ever be ignored or considered capable of healing itself. Prompt medical treatment is essential.