Persistent action of involuntary motor tics (involuntary body movements), and vocal tics (involuntary sounds), are signs of Tourette Syndrome. This neurological health problem entails a disruption of the brain’s functionality, which leads to the involuntary movements of the body and making sounds. It can be prevalent in children from the ages of 5 or 10 and has the capacity to progress when treatment is not administered to manage the symptoms, whilst causes are often connected to genetics and early health problems, the main cause does not exist. The symptoms can start off simple but progress over time. This blog expounds on the symptoms, the causes and the treatments administered to address Tourette Syndrome.
The symptoms of Tourette’s Syndrome
The symptoms of Tourette Syndrome are categorized, which entails the level of severity of the health problem.
- Motor tics
Simple motor tics: These are sudden and involuntary body movements that involve just a single muscle; it could be nose twitching, head jerking or shoulder shrugging. They are often fast movements that can be repeated.
Complex motor tics: These body movements seem to be coordinated and intentional, whilst they are involuntary and involve a number of muscles, such as jumping, spinning, touching objects, obscene gestures or stepping into specific patterns.
- Vocal tics
Simple vocal tics: These are sudden, meaningless sounds that occur due to involuntary muscle action; they include grunting, throat clearing, hiccups or hissing.
Complex vocal tics: These are meaningful phrases that can be obscene, repeating other people’s words or repeating phrases involuntarily.
Causes of Tourette Syndrome
Genetic factors
Family genes: An individual can be susceptible to the health problem if they have a family history of the problem.
Gene changes: A change to the DNA can disrupt the brain’s functionality, which potentially leads to Tourette syndrome.
Shared traits: In other circumstances, one family member can share the gene, whilst the other can have ADHD or OCD, which triggers the health problem.
Brain and body factors
Brain areas: The part of the brain that is responsible for brain movement (Basal Ganglia) can be disrupted, which causes abnormal movements.
Brain chemicals: The imbalance of brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin causes an abnormal electrical excitement, which causes involuntary movements and sounds.
Early health problems: A child who has experienced early birth problems, such as immunological problems or low birth weight, can be indirectly affected because these problems can cause a change to the brain’s functionality, which increases the risks of motor or vocal tics.
Treatments provided for Tourette’s Syndrome
Specialists provide treatment after diagnosis of the patients, which involves evaluating the patient’s family medical history, analysing their symptoms and the level of complexity. In some cases, the individual may not require treatment if the symptoms are mild. The treatments include;
Therapy: The therapy sessions aim at helping the individual gain awareness of their sensory warning sign, which occurs before the tic, they train their cognitive behaviour, and their therapist may also include relaxation methods, meditation methods and deep breathing exercises.
Medications: The prescribed medications are there to manage simple motor or vocal tics, provide stimulants to address ADHD, support impulse control, and so much more, which helps the individual to experience an improved life.
Neurological treatments: The treatments involve stimulating the brain by implanting a device in the brain, which helps reduce the tics.
Conclusion
The recommended time to seek professional help is when one notices the involuntary repeated movements of the body in children. Despite the level of severity, the treatments provided can help individuals manage the involuntary muscle movements and regulate the stimulants. The right treatments from the best neurologist will assist with alleviating the symptoms, and an individual can experience an improved life as they grow. At Neurociti Hospital, Dr. SK Bansal, an expert neurologist, provides comprehensive treatments and diagnostic procedures to help individuals live an improved life by addressing Tourette’s syndrome.
FAQ’s
Can people control their tics after treatments?
The treatments provided help people have control over the tic over time and gain awareness of the warning signs.
Is OCD associated with Tourette’s syndrome?
Yes, it is, most people with OCD are most likely to also have Tourette’s Syndrome because it both involves a disruption to the brain’s functionality.
