Tourette syndrome

What Is Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to control movement and vocalization, resulting in involuntary movements known as tics. Tics are sudden, repetitive movements or sounds that can vary in severity, often changing over time and being affected by stress. Symptoms appear during childhood, before the age of 18, and although there is no cure, various treatments, such as therapy, can help them manage their symptoms better.

What Are The Symptoms Of Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette Syndrome is characterized by two types of tics - motor and vocal. Examples of motor tics include excessive blinking, head jerking, facial grimacing, repetitive hand movements and shoulder shrugging. Vocal tics also are common and include throat clearing, grunting, sniffing, repeating words and involuntary shouting. Tic severity varies and can worsen with stress, anxiety or anger. Some individuals can temporarily suppress tics, but in doing so may lead to discomfort. 

How Is Tourette Syndrome Diagnosed?
Since there is no specific test for Tourette Syndrome, doctors diagnose it through careful evaluation. This process involves observing a person's movements and listening to any sounds they make to identify patterns of tics. During the assessment, doctors look for:

• Involuntary movements and sounds (known as tics) which occurs repeatedly.

• Tics that begin before the age of 18.

• Changes in tics, such as blinking one month and making a vocal sound the next.