Article: Doctors say a silent 'mini-stroke' may explain your constant fatigue

[Sly Saint]

Feeling persistently exhausted could be due to a mini-stroke you had without realizing, a study suggests.

Also known as a transient ischemic attack, they occur due to a brief blockage of blood flow to the brain and can last for up to a day.

A group of Danish researchers have now found that these mini-strokes can have much longer lasting effects, leaving sufferers feeling fatigued for up to a year.

TIA's can cause fatigue due to several factors including the brain's need to compensate for the temporary disruption in blood flow.

The brain has to work harder to complete tasks after a TIA and this effort can lead to increased energy consumption and persistent fatigue.

The study has been published today in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

While not as extensively as a complete stroke, a mini stroke can cause a certain degree of brain damage when it occurs.

This damage can leave a person with muscle weakness, difficulty with coordination and a general sense of weariness - which are all signs of fatigue.

Fatigue is medically described as the persistent and excessive feeling of tiredness or lack of energy which interferes with daily activities, even after adequate rest.

Particularly, physical fatigue can include muscle weakness, aches, pain, gastrointestinal issues and headaches.

While mental fatigue entails difficulty concentrating, learning new tasks, slowed reflexes and impaired decision-making.

Brain damage due to a mini-stroke can also change sleeping patterns, emotional distress and memory, all of which can contribute to ongoing tiredness.

Doctors say a silent 'mini-stroke' may explain your constant fatigue

see press release
American Academy of Neurology: Neurology Resources | AAN

research paper:
Long-Term Fatigue Following Transient Ischemic Attack | Neurology