What is Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette Syndrome is an inherited disorder characterized by multiple tics. The tics can be of two types:
- Motor: in mild cases, they can be head jerking, blinking, facial grimacing, shoulder shrugging; in complex cases, they can be touching other people or things, jumping, moving around screaming, sniffing and, in extreme cases, self-injurious actions such as biting or hitting oneself.
- Vowels: in simple cases, screeching, throat clearing, tongue clicking and aspirations; in more complex cases, symptoms can be coprolalia (saying offensive words) or saying phrases or words out of context.
What are the causes of Tourette syndrome?
Although the cause of Tourette syndrome is currently unknown, some risk factors related to birth are estimated:
- Drinking alcohol or smoking during pregnancy
- Low birth weight
- Complications during birth
- Streptococcal infections
What is the treatment of Tourette Syndrome?
In most cases, patients with Tourette syndrome are not disabled enough to be treated. Even so, some medications can be taken to control the tics if they are a nuisance in their daily life. Small doses are usually given at first and then the amount is gradually increased until maximum symptom mitigation is achieved.
Another treatment that may be helpful is psychotherapy and social-psychological assistance, which includes behavioral therapies, such as substituting a tic for a more acceptable one, as well as relaxation techniques to relieve the stress reactions that lead to increased tics.