Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTreatmentDiagnosisWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
Diagnosis
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
Vocal tics are sudden verbal sounds or words not in a person’s control.These tics range from subtle sounds to shouting or yelling repeated words or phrases. Vocal tics are not harmful but can be embarrassing for some people. Symptoms can occur without a known cause, as part of an underlying health condition, or as a side effect of medication.
This article discusses symptoms of vocal tics, potential causes, and treatments.
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Symptoms of Vocal Tics
Tics commonly show up during childhood. Vocal tics range from subtle to more severe, and symptoms can include:
Symptoms often get worse with:
Vocal Tics and Motor TicsVocal tics may occur alongsidemotor tics, like:Biting lipsBlinkingCopying other people’s movementsFacial expressionsJumpingShrugging shouldersSmelling thingsSkippingTwitching
Vocal Tics and Motor Tics
Vocal tics may occur alongsidemotor tics, like:Biting lipsBlinkingCopying other people’s movementsFacial expressionsJumpingShrugging shouldersSmelling thingsSkippingTwitching
Vocal tics may occur alongsidemotor tics, like:
Causes of Vocal Tics
The cause of vocal tics isn’t always known. Vocal tics can be part of an underlying health condition or a side effect of certain medications.
Tic Disorders
Tic disorders are conditions with specific criteria for diagnosis, found in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). For all types of tic disorders, symptoms begin before age 18.
These include:
Tics in AdultsAlthough tics usually develop during childhood, they can also spontaneously appear in adulthood. While children may outgrow their tics, symptoms are more likely to be permanent for people who develop them later in life.
Tics in Adults
Although tics usually develop during childhood, they can also spontaneously appear in adulthood. While children may outgrow their tics, symptoms are more likely to be permanent for people who develop them later in life.
Other Health Conditions
Vocal tics can occur with other health conditions, such as:
Vocal Fry: Defining a Common Language Register
What Medications Can Cause Vocal Tics?
Tics can be a side effect of certain medications. These tics typically cause jerky movements of the body or face rather than vocalizations. This condition—calledtardive dyskinesia—often occurs with antipsychotic medications.
Tics can also develop from the use of medications such as:
How to Treat Vocal Tics
Vocal tics that are mild or infrequent may not require treatment.Tics that develop in childhood can resolve without treatment as a person becomes an adult. If medication is causing tics, switching to another drug can help.
Tics can negatively impact a person’s social life. Medications and therapy can help decrease the frequency and intensity of tics.
Medications
Medications can be used to help treat tics. These include:
Some providers may prescribe “off-label” medications, meaning they are approved to treat something other than tics but appear to help with tics. For example, Tenex (guanfacine) and Catapres-TTS-2 (clonidine) are drugs to treat blood pressure issues and are also used to treat tics.
Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT)
Comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) is a therapy used to support people with tics. The goals of this treatment are:
Are There Tests to Diagnose the Cause of Vocal Tics?
A healthcare provider or mental health professional can diagnose a tic disorder with a medical history and physical examination. They will apply the criteria from the DSM-5 to categorize the underlying disorder.
Vocal tics are not harmful but can significantly impact your social life. Talk to a healthcare provider about treatment options if your tics negatively affect your life. Consider talking to a therapist to learn coping strategies and tools to reduce the tics.
Summary
Vocal tics are involuntary sounds or words. They can occur without a known cause, be part of an underlying health condition, or be a side effect of certain medications. Treatment for tics is not always necessary, but the symptoms can be embarrassing and prompt treatment. Medications and CBIT therapy can help reduce the frequency and intensity of tics.
The cause of vocal tics is not always known. Vocal tics can signify a tic disorder or other health conditions. Occasionally, they can be a side effect of medication, but motor tics are more likely to occur than vocal tics.
Vocal tics can go away on their own. Medications and comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics (CBIT) can help decrease the frequency and severity of tics.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cedars Sinai.Motor and vocal tics.Nemours TeensHealth.Tics.Muth CC.Tics and Tourette syndrome.JAMA.2017;317(15):1592. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.0547Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diagnosis for tic disorders.Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD).ADHD and tics or tourette syndrome.Kahl U, Schunke O, Schöttle D, et al.Tic phenomenology and tic awareness in adults with autism.Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2015;2(3):237-242. doi:10.1002/mdc3.12154Mount Sinai.OCD, tic disorders, and tourette’s disorders.Begum G, Nkemjika S, Olayinka O, Olupona T, Jolayemi A.Clozapine response for vocal tics in schizophrenic patients: a case report with literature review.Cureus. 13(3):e14111. doi:10.7759%2Fcureus.14111Ricketts EJ, Wu MS, Leman T, Piacentini J.A review of tics presenting subsequent to traumatic brain injury.Curr Dev Disord Rep. 2019;6:145-158. doi:10.1007/s40474-019-00167-9Cornett EM, Novitch M, Kaye AD, Kata V, Kaye AM.Medication-induced tardive dyskinesia: a review and update.Ochsner J. 2017;17(2):162-174.Tourette Association of America.Medications for tics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tourette syndrome: behavioral treatment for tics that works.
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cedars Sinai.Motor and vocal tics.Nemours TeensHealth.Tics.Muth CC.Tics and Tourette syndrome.JAMA.2017;317(15):1592. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.0547Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diagnosis for tic disorders.Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD).ADHD and tics or tourette syndrome.Kahl U, Schunke O, Schöttle D, et al.Tic phenomenology and tic awareness in adults with autism.Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2015;2(3):237-242. doi:10.1002/mdc3.12154Mount Sinai.OCD, tic disorders, and tourette’s disorders.Begum G, Nkemjika S, Olayinka O, Olupona T, Jolayemi A.Clozapine response for vocal tics in schizophrenic patients: a case report with literature review.Cureus. 13(3):e14111. doi:10.7759%2Fcureus.14111Ricketts EJ, Wu MS, Leman T, Piacentini J.A review of tics presenting subsequent to traumatic brain injury.Curr Dev Disord Rep. 2019;6:145-158. doi:10.1007/s40474-019-00167-9Cornett EM, Novitch M, Kaye AD, Kata V, Kaye AM.Medication-induced tardive dyskinesia: a review and update.Ochsner J. 2017;17(2):162-174.Tourette Association of America.Medications for tics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tourette syndrome: behavioral treatment for tics that works.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cedars Sinai.Motor and vocal tics.Nemours TeensHealth.Tics.Muth CC.Tics and Tourette syndrome.JAMA.2017;317(15):1592. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.0547Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diagnosis for tic disorders.Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD).ADHD and tics or tourette syndrome.Kahl U, Schunke O, Schöttle D, et al.Tic phenomenology and tic awareness in adults with autism.Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2015;2(3):237-242. doi:10.1002/mdc3.12154Mount Sinai.OCD, tic disorders, and tourette’s disorders.Begum G, Nkemjika S, Olayinka O, Olupona T, Jolayemi A.Clozapine response for vocal tics in schizophrenic patients: a case report with literature review.Cureus. 13(3):e14111. doi:10.7759%2Fcureus.14111Ricketts EJ, Wu MS, Leman T, Piacentini J.A review of tics presenting subsequent to traumatic brain injury.Curr Dev Disord Rep. 2019;6:145-158. doi:10.1007/s40474-019-00167-9Cornett EM, Novitch M, Kaye AD, Kata V, Kaye AM.Medication-induced tardive dyskinesia: a review and update.Ochsner J. 2017;17(2):162-174.Tourette Association of America.Medications for tics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tourette syndrome: behavioral treatment for tics that works.
Cedars Sinai.Motor and vocal tics.
Nemours TeensHealth.Tics.
Muth CC.Tics and Tourette syndrome.JAMA.2017;317(15):1592. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.0547
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diagnosis for tic disorders.
Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD).ADHD and tics or tourette syndrome.
Kahl U, Schunke O, Schöttle D, et al.Tic phenomenology and tic awareness in adults with autism.Mov Disord Clin Pract. 2015;2(3):237-242. doi:10.1002/mdc3.12154
Mount Sinai.OCD, tic disorders, and tourette’s disorders.
Begum G, Nkemjika S, Olayinka O, Olupona T, Jolayemi A.Clozapine response for vocal tics in schizophrenic patients: a case report with literature review.Cureus. 13(3):e14111. doi:10.7759%2Fcureus.14111
Ricketts EJ, Wu MS, Leman T, Piacentini J.A review of tics presenting subsequent to traumatic brain injury.Curr Dev Disord Rep. 2019;6:145-158. doi:10.1007/s40474-019-00167-9
Cornett EM, Novitch M, Kaye AD, Kata V, Kaye AM.Medication-induced tardive dyskinesia: a review and update.Ochsner J. 2017;17(2):162-174.
Tourette Association of America.Medications for tics.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tourette syndrome: behavioral treatment for tics that works.
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