Tics And Tourette Syndrome

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.

L.R.’s exhibited physical concomitants that included head movements and movements of extremities. He obtained a score of 3 for physical concomitants.

Kenny is a teenager who has experienced uncontrollable bodily and facial movements, various uncontrolled vocalizations, and other compulsions such as excessive hand washing and wringing. He has been treated with Clonidine, Haldol, pimozide and buspirone. This patient was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome. Clonidine is a vasodilator that allows for blood to flow more easily to the brain. This lowers blood pressure and helps treat the tics the patient experiences(1). Haldol and Pimozide are antipsychotics that blocks dopamine receptors in the brain. This would help treat the compulsive behaviors (2). Buspirone is used to treat anxiety disorders. It binds to serotonin receptors in

My mind is telling me it is not actually there until I count and see that the object is still in the same place. Lastly, if I have an important document or something that is very valuable I will have to stare at it until I can talk myself into knowing I still have the object. Sometimes I have to confirm what I see with my close friends to put my mind at ease faster, yes I understand this is odd, but I get bad anxiety if I do not follow these traditions. I am not exactly sure why or when these habits started but it seems the more I follow what my head is telling me then the worse my own tics get. My behaviors put me at ease but also bring anxiety and anger, because I know it is not normal and to a certain extent I can control these traditions but in reality, overall I cannot and that adds a greater anxiety. I try and not let a lot of people realize or know about my OCD habits because like Sedaris I do not want them to perceive me for being a strange person because I am not. Another thing is I like having assurance and control but over time it seems the tics are starting to control me instead of me controlling them.

Moreover, none of the available medications for TS completely eliminates symptoms and in addition, all medications have side effects. Instead, the available TS medications are only able to help reduce specific symptoms. Some patients who require medication to reduce the frequency and intensity of the tic symptoms may be treated with neuroleptic drugs such as haloperidol and pimozide (Abuzzahab & Brown, 2001). These medications are usually given in very small doses that are increased slowly until the best possible balance between symptoms and side effects is achieved. Recently scientists have discovered that long-term use of neuroleptic drugs may cause an involuntary movement

One of the best ways to cope with TS is to remember that the tics usually lessen in severity as an individual gets older. Tics usually reach its highest potential during early teens to the middle years of adolescence. If a person with TS

While there is no medication which relieves every symptom of TS, there is the possibility of improvement if the patient does not have serious side effects to the medications, of which there are a variety (i.e. pimozide, risperidone, clonidine) (8). Researches have found that the drug haloperidol acts on dopamine and in turn calms the patient. Haloperidol works by blocking the receiving areas on receptor cells where dopamine passes on messages

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

Patients with Bell's palsy typically complain of weakness or complete paralysis of all the muscles on only one side of the face. The normal facial creases and folds disappear, and more noticeably, the corner of the mouth droops (Peter & Weir, 2002).The eyelids will not close and the lower lid sags which leads to a common disorder known as dry eye. This dry eye often results from lack of lubrication and constant

Blepharospasm is a spasm of the muscles around your eyes (orbicularis oculi). It causes attacks of abnormal and uncontrollable blinking that come and go unpredictably. This type of abnormal muscle movement is called dystonia.

There are absolutely no drug treatments for dysarthria but intense levels of speech therapy can be given which usually can be of great benefit. "Treatment depends on the cause, type, and severity of the symptoms." It is best if a speech-language pathologist works with the person to improve their communication capacities. The speech-language pathologist (SLP) may also work with the patients caregivers in order for them to better understand the person struggling with dysarthria.

Treatment primarily consists of reverse the habit or intervention. What has been effective is helping patients become aware of their behaviors and supplying them with an alternate habit to replace their behaviors. These treatments are successful at affecting the severity

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.

A tic is a repetitive, uncontrollable, purposeless contraction of an individual muscle or group of muscles, usually in the face, arms, or shoulders. These movements may be signs of a minor psychological disturbance. Such tics often occur in childhood and will probably be outgrown. There are also tics that are caused by neurological disorders that could have resulted from brain damage at birth, head trauma, or use of some specific medication (1). Tic disorders may be

One cause of strabismus is the inadequate coordination of the six muscles which operate to move the eye. Other less common forms of strabismus result from defective refraction, damaged nerves which connect the photoreceptors to the brain, and damage to the nerves which control the eye muscles.(4) These multiple disorders all have the same effect, presenting conflicting, amblyopic, images to the brain.