Is a TIA always a stroke?

[Cicada1]

I had a TIA 4 days ago, momentry loss of vision, unable to speak, sweating etc. I had tight feeling on left side of face and still have wasted feeling to left arm.

I had severe pain in muscles in front left of chest across colar bone area to left shoulder. These began the day before and though severe they have gone suddenly today. I thought that I had pulled a muscle and it wasn't related to the TIA but am now not so sure since it just dissapeared so quickly today as muscle/ligament damage takes ages to heal.

Heart, CT and carrotid ultrasound have all tested clear. The puzzle is that I don't have any of the risk factors. I'm 61, low blood pressure, no cholesterol, low weight, non smoker and well exercised. I will be having an MRI next week but  I'm wondering if there are other conditions than the normal stroke risk factors that can lead to these events. I am aware of the link with migraines, are there any other possibilities we should be looking at?
Thanks.

[karpar111]

How does one know if they have had a mini-stroke especially if their Doctor is not willing to do further tests? What tests of the head or brain are available to determine this ? Do tell, please, as my Doctor says there is nothing I can do but live with the attacks which I have now had 4 of in just over a week ! He seems to think they are just Migraine Variants but they really present like a min-stoke and my family thinks s too.
Ta, K.

[Dr_Veena]

Hi,
     How are you? A transient ischaemic attack (TIA) often called a mini stroke, happens when the brain’s blood supply is interrupted for a very brief time. The symptoms are very similar to a stroke (such as weakness on one side of the body, loss of sight and slurred speech) but they are temporary, lasting a few minutes or hours, and then disappearing completely within 24 hours. A TIA is a sign that part of the brain is not getting enough blood and that there is a risk of a more serious stroke in the future.

The risk factors for stroke are: The chance of having a stroke approximately doubles for each decade of life after age 55, heredity, race, gender, history of previous TIA or stroke, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, poor physical activity, poor diet, hyperlipidemia etc.
I would suggest that you visit a urologist and rule out all the risk factors listed above and take appropriate treatment.

Best.