In 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) renamed transient tic disorder as provisional tic disorder, a condition characterized by physical and verbal tics.
A child with transient tic disorder has noticeable physical or vocal tics; tics affect up to 10% of children during their early school years, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; tics are common in children and may last for less than one year.
Transient tic disorder also involves both types of tics, but they frequently occur separately. Tourette syndrome is the most well-known tic disorder, where both physical and verbal tics occur in the same person, frequently at the same time.
TYPES OF TICS
Typical classifications for tic disorders include motor, vocal, and Tourette’s syndrome, which combines the two.
Tourette’s is regarded as a chronic tic disorder and can cause both vocal and motor tics, which can be momentary (transient) or persistent.
Transient tic disorder
The onset of the tics must have been before the person turned 18 years old. Children with transient tic disorder will present with one or more tics for at least one month, but for less than 12 consecutive months.
Tics may change in type and severity over time, with motor tics being more frequent than vocal tics in cases of transient tic disorder.
Chronic motor or vocal tic disorder
An individual may be diagnosed with a chronic tic disorder if they experience motor or vocal tics that start before the age of 18 and last for a year or longer.
People who continue to experience symptoms after the age of 18 have a lower chance of recovery from a chronic motor or vocal tic disorder, with tics typically going away within 6 years of the child’s onset.
Tourette’s syndrome
Tourette’s syndrome (TS), the most severe and uncommon tic disorder, is a complex neurological condition marked by numerous tics, both vocal and motor.
The exact number of people with TS is unknown, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and 0.3 percent of children aged 6 to 17 in the United States have received a TS diagnosis as of right now. CDC research suggests that half of all children with the condition go undiagnosed.
SYMPTOMS OF TICS
One or more tics, which can be divided into the following categories, are the primary symptom of tic disorders.
- Motor ticsMotor tics, which typically manifest before vocal tics, include head and shoulder movements, blinking, jerking, banging, clicking fingers, and touching objects or other people.
- Vocal ticsThese include noises like coughing, grunting, throat clearing, and repeating words or phrases.
The following categories can also be used to categorize tics:
- Simple ticsExamples of these quick, fleeting tics include throat clearing, eye darting, and nose twitching.
- Complex ticsThese include gesturing, repeating words or phrases, hopping or stepping in a particular way, and other coordinated movements involving multiple muscle groups.
Tics are typically accompanied by an unpleasant urge, such as an itch or tingle, which can be resisted, but doing so often results in tension and stress.
Tic disorders can cause symptoms like:
- anxiety, excitement, anger, and fatigue all aggravate the situation
- when illness is present, get worse
- worsen with extreme temperatures
- occur during sleep
- vary over time
- fluctuate in severity and type
- improve over time
CAUSES OF TICS
Recent studies in Tourette’s research have found some specific gene mutations that may play a role, but the exact cause of tic disorders is still unknown. Brain chemistry, particularly the brain chemicals glutamate, serotonin, and dopamine, also appears to play a significant role.
Tics with a specific diagnosis fall under a different classification, such as tics caused by:
- head injuries
- stroke
- infections
- poisons
- surgery
- other injuries
RISK FACTORS OF TICS
- GeneticsSince tic disorders frequently run in families, a genetic component may underlie them.
- SexTic disorders are more prevalent in men than in women.
COMPLICATIONS OF TICS
Especially in children with TS, the following conditions are linked to tic disorders:
- anxiety
- ADHD
- depression
- autism spectrum disorder
- learning difficulties
- OCD
- speech and language difficulties
- sleep difficulties
HOMOEOPATHIC TREATMENT FOR TICS
1. Agaricus Muscaris
There is a trembling sensation in the lips and lower jaw area. This remedy is very effective for tics where motor tics like eye twitching, facial twitching, leg shaking, head jerking, etc. are present and usually stop during sleep. This remedy is also effective for tics where the child tends to have quick and hurried movements of the upper limbs. This remedy is also very effective for treating tics in children who are hyperactive and clumsy.
2. Stramonium
Very helpful for motor tics like twitching of hands, clapping hands overhead, shutting and opening of hands, irrelevant and endless talking, and spasmodic dysphonia (hoarseness of voice).
4. Zincum Metallicum
Useful for maintaining muscle control and coordination. Used to treat spasmodic facial twitching, head rolling, and teeth grinding. There is fidgeting of the lower extremities, restlessness of the legs, keeping feet in constant motion, jerking of the body, and trembling of the hands while writing.
5. Argentum Nitricum
The medication helps children who are anxious or nervous and is useful when there is a loss of voluntary muscle control, trembling of body parts, unsteady walking when unattended, and impulsiveness in children. It works better when there is an extreme desire for sweets that may be present.
Comments are closed.