Differentiating Tic Disorders Essay

Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by tics; involuntary, rapid, sudden movements or vocalizations that occur repeatedly in the same way. Diagnostic criteria include: both multiple motor and one or more vocal tics present at some time, although not necessarily simultaneously, the occurrence of tics many times a day (usually in bouts) nearly everyday or intermittently throughout the span of more than one year; period changes in the number, frequently, type and location of the tics, and in the waxing and waning of their severity. Symptoms can sometimes disappear for weeks and or months at a time; and the onset is before the age of 18.

In "A Plague of Tics," David Sedaris's describes his life from childhood to adulthood. He suffers from OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder). Sedaris writes, "If I were to lose count of my steps, I'd have to return to school and begin again" (360). This showcases the extreme case of Sedaris's OCD; that if he does not make his route absolutely perfect, he won't be able to find peace. His compulsive routine as a young child included his unsettling "tics", which he had little to no control over. "It never fails to amaze me that people might notice these things. Because my actions were so intensely private, I had always assumed they were somewhat invisible" (Sedaris 362). Ironically, Sedaris refers to his "tics" as actions that were private

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder first described by a French physician named Georges Gilles de la Tourette, in 1885. Tourette syndrome (TS) consists of varies abrupt, rapid, involuntary, and repeated movements or vocal sounds, known as tics. “Until 1970, TS was frequently misdiagnosed as schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, epilepsy, or nervous habits,” concluding that this mental disorder is extremely rare and has similar characteristics as other mental disorders (Kahn and Fawcett 375). Since there is no specific test that can diagnose TS, doctors have to rely on a person’s behaviors and personal history to identify the disorder. About one person in two thousand people is likely to have TS; additionally males are four

Tourette Syndrome, or TS, affects approximately one hundred thousand Americans of whom you will find in a variety of professions and social settings (7). It is a neurological disease which is characterized by repeated and involuntary body movements and vocal sounds. Before TS was known to be a health problem uncontrollable by the patient, it was seen as nervousness, possession by a spirit, epilepsy or simply as bad habits (5). Today it is known that imbalances in certain brain chemicals are what causes the symptoms of this disease. It is interesting to examine TS and use it as a tool for better understanding (in part) how, in what quantity, and at what level the brain (and the nervous system as a whole) contribute to

David Sedaris has an excerpt called The Plague of Tics from his book Naked detailing the obsessive compulsive behaviors that riddled his childhood & remained consistent into adulthood. Sedaris actively uses satire & humor throughout his text in order to weave a pleasant story for his audience despite the abnormal behavioral tics that he couldn't overcome for a great majority of his life. Sedaris uses this humor as a base to formulate his story & this humor ultimately helps him convey his purpose to his audiences. The purpose of this excerpt is to show obsessive compulsive behaviors in a light that a reader can comprehend while also bringing awareness to just what exactly goes on in the minds of people with obsessive compulsive behaviors. Sedaris

disorder only happens for a month at a time, while PTSDF could be lifelong. With the symptoms

Dr. say there are many types of Tourette's, in motor Tourette's there are uncontrollable movements like eye blinking, shoulder shrugging, head jerking, and many other body movements. Vocal tics would be one like humming, whistling, throat clearing, or sniffing. This sort of disability lasts up to 6 to 7 years. A lot of the first symptoms start in the facial area and later on move to tics in the arms or legs, and males are 3 to 4 times likely to have Tourette's than

Tim Howard, an amazing soccer player, also has Tourette syndrome. Tourette’s is a disease where people have tics and cannot concentrate on objects or things for a long time. Howard says, “Sports were my sanctuary. Being outside, playing soccer or basketball, I wasn’t focused on my tics, just on the opponent. I couldn’t even tell you if I dealing with tics. Sports were my escape” (Zuckerman 11).

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder categorized by repetitive involuntary vocalizations and movements (tics). The symptoms of TS typically manifest themselves in early childhood, worsen significantly in the early teens, and then improve into the late teens and adulthood. The CDC estimates as many as 1 in 162 children may suffer from TS, with a significant portion carrying their tics into adulthood (around 10-15%). It is estimated around 200,000 Americans have the most severe form of

As previously mentioned, there is no absolute cause for why TTM comes about in patients. Often it seems to start around the ages of twelve and thirteen, however it is not uncommon for it to start earlier or later. It is usually associated with stressful events such as: abuse, family conflict, death of a parent or moving (MHA). TTM is considered a mental disorder and for many people, it can be related to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) but it does not have to be. Other behaviors that may be associated are nail biting, thumb sucking, compulsive scratching, compulsively picking at

Tourette Syndrome (TS) is an inherited tic disorder that usually appears in early childhood and is classified by multiple motor tics and verbal tics. (Mayo 2012) Tics are sudden and repetitive movements, with motor tics being physical muscle movements, and verbal tics being sudden vocalization. Common tics range anywhere from constant eye blinking to throat clearing and grunting. Although the word “involuntary” is usually used to describe tics, this is not completely true, a better word would be “compelling.” It wouldn’t be true to say that people with Tourette’s can’t control their tics, some people can hold the tics back for hours at a time, but this only leads to a bigger outburst when they are finally let go. Tics are comparable to

Many people who have Tourette’s will say that it is difficult to suppress a tic, and

Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder involving unintentional commentary and/or movements of an individual. Most people diagnosed with Tourettes also suffer from OCD as Melvin does. are I chose Melvin to diagnose and write about because I found it interesting to see his unusual lifestyle and how reacts if something disrupts his scheduled and organized

Trigeminal neuralgia is a nerve disorder that causes attacks of severe facial pain. The attacks last from a few seconds to several minutes. They can happen for days, weeks, or months and then go away for months or years. Trigeminal neuralgia is also called tic douloureux.

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a disorder of the brain that is observed in people who have involuntary movements or vocalizations called tics. Named after Dr. Georges Gilles de la Tourette who first discovered this disorder, this French neurologist described a noblewoman who exhibited these symptoms in 1885. These tics could range from repetitive movements to inappropriate vocalizations.