What is Tourette's Disorder?
Tourette's Disorder is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. It should be not be confused with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Most people with the condition experience their worst tic symptoms in their early teens, with improvement occurring in the late teens and continuing into adulthood. Some tics are preceded by an urge or sensation in the affected muscle group, commonly called a premonitory urge. Tics are often worse with excitement or anxiety and better during calm, focused activities. Certain physical experiences can trigger or worsen tics. For example tight collars may trigger neck tics, or hearing another person sniff or throat-clear may trigger similar sounds. Tics are classified as either simple or complex.
Simple Tics
Simple tics are sudden, brief, repetitive movements that involve a limited number of muscle groups or simple vocalizations (e.g., eye blinking, facial grimacing, shoulder shrugging, throat-clearing, sniffing, or grunting).
Complex Tics
Complex tics are distinct, coordinated patterns of movements involving several muscle groups or vocalization of words or phrases (e.g., facial grimacing combined with a head twist and a shoulder shrug, hopping, jumping, bending, swearing, or repeating words or phrases of others).
Some Facts About Tourette's Disorder
Recent work suggests that the lifetime prevalence of Tourette's Disorder and Chronic Tic Disorder (CTD) are approximately 1-3%. Males are approximately 4 times more likely to develop tics than females. Simple motor tics are usually the first symptoms to emerge, with onset generally occurring between 4 and 6 years of age. Both Tourette's Disorder and CTD are characterized by a waxing and waning course with worst-ever tic severity typically occurring around 10 years of age and the majority of individuals experiencing a significant and sustained improvement in symptoms by late adolescence.
How We Can Help
Our therapists use Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT), a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach, to effectively manage the frequency of tics in Tourette's Disorder, along with appropriate medication regimen.
Tourette's Disorder is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. It should be not be confused with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Most people with the condition experience their worst tic symptoms in their early teens, with improvement occurring in the late teens and continuing into adulthood. Some tics are preceded by an urge or sensation in the affected muscle group, commonly called a premonitory urge. Tics are often worse with excitement or anxiety and better during calm, focused activities. Certain physical experiences can trigger or worsen tics. For example tight collars may trigger neck tics, or hearing another person sniff or throat-clear may trigger similar sounds. Tics are classified as either simple or complex.
Simple Tics
Simple tics are sudden, brief, repetitive movements that involve a limited number of muscle groups or simple vocalizations (e.g., eye blinking, facial grimacing, shoulder shrugging, throat-clearing, sniffing, or grunting).
Complex Tics
Complex tics are distinct, coordinated patterns of movements involving several muscle groups or vocalization of words or phrases (e.g., facial grimacing combined with a head twist and a shoulder shrug, hopping, jumping, bending, swearing, or repeating words or phrases of others).
Some Facts About Tourette's Disorder
Recent work suggests that the lifetime prevalence of Tourette's Disorder and Chronic Tic Disorder (CTD) are approximately 1-3%. Males are approximately 4 times more likely to develop tics than females. Simple motor tics are usually the first symptoms to emerge, with onset generally occurring between 4 and 6 years of age. Both Tourette's Disorder and CTD are characterized by a waxing and waning course with worst-ever tic severity typically occurring around 10 years of age and the majority of individuals experiencing a significant and sustained improvement in symptoms by late adolescence.
How We Can Help
Our therapists use Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT), a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach, to effectively manage the frequency of tics in Tourette's Disorder, along with appropriate medication regimen.
P H O N E 219.228.7630
F A X 219.228.1083
E M A I L info@anxietybehavioralhealth.com
A D D R E S S 900 Ridge Road, Suite F, Munster, Indiana 46321
F A X 219.228.1083
E M A I L info@anxietybehavioralhealth.com
A D D R E S S 900 Ridge Road, Suite F, Munster, Indiana 46321