Question: what is the difference between a stroke and a tia (transient ischemic attack)?
Answer: TIA (transient ischemic attack, also sometimes called a “mini-stroke”) begins just like an ischemic stroke; the difference is that in a TIA, the blockage is temporary and blood flow returns on its own. Since blood flow is interrupted only for a short time, the symptoms of a TIA don't last long – usually less than hour.