Most Common Tourette Syndrome Symptoms
- Simple Ticks
- Coughing
- Barking
- Grunting
- Clearing the throat
- Complex tics
- Repeating phrases or words
- Using swear words, obscene, vulgar words
- Repeating your own words or phrases
In addition, tics may be:
- Change the time
- The severity, frequency and type of the symptoms can vary.
- Happens during sleep
- You can get worse when you’re anxious, excited or ill.
- The severity of the condition increases as the teenagers enter adulthood.
You’ll want to feel an unpleasant bodily sensation (premonitory impulse) such as a tingle or itch before the onset. Expressions are used to relieve the symptoms of tics. Few people with Tourette syndrome are able to temporarily stop or hold back a tic. Tics may be simple or complex. Simple tics can affect all or parts of the body, such as blinking your eyes or making a facial expression. Complex tics involve moving different parts of the body or even saying a few words. Examples include swearing and jumping. Complex tics are characterized by a combination of body parts, which may have a specific pattern. Examples include bobbing the head and jerking your arm.
You might experience a tension or tingle before the motor tic. The movements make the feelings disappear. While you may be able hold the feelings for a short time, they might still occur. The doctors aren’t sure why almost half of those with Tourette syndrome also have symptoms of ADHD. You may have trouble paying attention, finishing tasks and sitting still. Tourette syndrome can also cause problems like:
- Learning disabilities like dyslexia
- Anxiety
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), behaviors and thoughts that you can’t control, such as repeatedly washing your hands.
- Some people with TS may have mood and behavioral problems such as:
- Anxiety
- The following are some of the ways to reduce your risk:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Attention deficit hyperactivity (ADHD)
Tourette syndrome can also put children at risk for bullying, as their tics may keep them alone or without friends. Most often, tics diminish in early adulthood or adolescence. Sometimes they even disappear completely. In most cases, tics can become more severe in adulthood for people with TS. The media portrays people with TS involuntarily screaming words, known as coprolalia, or continually repeating words spoken by others known as echolalia. These symptoms do not indicate Tourette syndrome and are not common.
Premonitory Sensations
Tourette syndrome is characterized by a feeling similar to that you get before sneezing, or itch. These sensations can also be called premonitory feelings. After the tic has gone away, these sensations can be used to treat it.
Examples of premonitory feelings include:
- Grunting can be preceded by a sore throat or a dry throat
- Before blinking, you may experience a burning sensation in your eyes
- Before jerking, there may be an itchy joint or muscle.
Controlling tics
In some social situations, such as the classroom, people can control their tics. The first few times require a little concentration but it becomes easier with practice. Some people may find it difficult to control their tics. After a long day of school, or after returning home, an individual may have tics that are released immediately. While playing sports or reading a magazine, tics may be less noticeable.
