TICS

Tics are repeated involuntary movement or contraction of muscles. Motor tics generally affect the face muscles, eye, neck and head; this causes twitching of face muscles, shrugging of shoulders and blinking. The vocal tics can cause grunting, coughing and clearing of throat. People who are affected by tics can not control these actions consciously, they are involuntary motions.
They are classified into:

• Transient tic disorder
• Chronic tic disorder
• Tourette’s syndrome

Transient tics usually occur in children but do not continue to their adulthood. Tourette’s syndrome and Chronic tic disorders are very rare as compared to the transient disorder. They are commonly found in boys than in girls.

SYMPTOMS

People affected by motor tics can show symptoms like eye blinking or jerking, wrinkling of nose; tongue movements that include sticking the tongue out, head twitches or tends to jerk, hopping and squatting, snapping of fingers, and shrugging of shoulders.

Complex motor tics symptoms include facial grimacing, bending to touch the floor, smoothing of clothing, biting of lip, head-banging, touching things and people involuntary, and obscene movements or gestures.

People affected by Vocal tics suffer from coughing, grunting, barking, hissing, sniffing, snorting, and clearing of throat.

Complex vocal tics can also lead to repeating the words over and over, problem with phrases, stuttering or stammering problem, usage of offensive or obscene words. People who suffer from this disease feel the need to get the word or the action out of the system until the urge starts all over again. Tics are generally not seen in the night when the person is asleep or absorbed in something else. This condition worsens when a person gets excited or tired, when the person is in a stuffy place, in hot condition or when he is stressed out. It also gets worse when the person gets extremely conscious of his tics being noticed in the public.

CAUSES

The causes are not well known or at least not scientifically proven, they are generally said to be inherited as the members of the family are generally affected by it; it is said to be genetically present. Researches are still conducted to confirm the cause. A stimulant drug that is used to that is used to treat ADHD is known to cause tics.

DIAGNOSIS

They are diagnosed by just physical examination; special tests are generally not needed. In some cases though, an EEG (electroencephalogram) is recommended. Sometimes painless tests that include sending electrical messages to the brain, to eliminate possibilities of seizure are suggested.

TREATMENT

The treatment that is used for the tics depends mainly on the severity of the tics. Tics that interfere with day to day activities, like the ones that affect the work or school life are generally the ones that need treatment. Most tics do not hinder everyday or school life and they generally disappear within a year’s time. The main problem with tics is that the more attention you give them the poorer the situation gets, so its best left unattended, which will gradually disappear.