A mini-stroke, technically called a transient ischemic attack (TIA), begins like a stroke but then resolves itself, leaving no noticeable symptoms or deficits. The average duration of a TIA is a few minutes. For almost all TIAs, the symptoms go away within an hour. A person who experiences a TIA should consider it a warning, since approximately one-third of the 50,000 Americans who have a TIA have an acute stroke sometime in the future. Since all stroke symptoms appear suddenly and it is not possible to determine whether it is a TIA or full stroke, medical treatment should be sought immediately.