You don't hear that much about twenty-somethings having strokes, yet that's what former Malcolm in the Middle star Frankie Muniz, 27 on Wednesday, says happened to him.
"I was in the hospital last Friday. I suffered a "Mini Stroke", which was not fun at all. Have to start taking care of my body! Getting old!," the young actor tweeted today.
He did not explain why, and according to TMZ, doctors are still stumped, awaiting test results. TMZ says Muniz was taken to an Arizona emergency room after his friends became alarmed when they noticed he was acting strange, and having trouble speaking and understanding.
What exactly is the difference between a "mini" stroke and major stroke? According to the Mayo Clinic, a mini-stroke is "transient ischemic attack (TIA)," a temporary interruption of blood flow to part of the brain. The symptoms of both are similar but a TIA doesn't destroy brain cells or cause permanent disability.
So that's good news for Muniz. However, a mini-stroke can recur and each one increases the risk of another. Medication may be needed.
