Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is a Tic?Types of TicsTypes of Tic DisorderCausesTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is a Tic?
Types of Tics
Types of Tic Disorder
Causes
Treatment
A tic is a sudden, uncontrolled, and repetitive movement or sound. Examples of tics include shrugging, yelling, repeating phrases, hitting, twitching, blinking, grimacing, coughing, and humming that is unintentional.
In this article, learn more about what a tic is, the different types of tic disorders, and their causes, symptoms, and treatment.
A person who has a tic will make sudden and uncontrolled movements or sounds.Tics can be either motor (movement) or vocal (sounds). They can also be simple (involving one body part or one noise) or complex (involving multiple body parts or longer phrases).
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When someone says they have a tic, they usually have one or more motor or vocal tics. Some tics are very subtle, whereas others can be severe and significantly impact a person’s quality of life. People who have tics cannot control those actions and should not be blamed or shamed for them.
What Are the Types of Tics?
Tics can present in many different ways. However, some are more common than others. Below are some examples of what tics might look like.
Simple Motor Tics
Common examples of simple motor tics include the following:
Complex Motor Tics
Examples of more complex motor tics include the following:
Simple Vocal Tics
Examples of simple vocal tics include the following:
Complex Vocal Tics
Examples of complex vocal tics include the following:
It’s important to remember that tics are out of a person’s control. Some people feel an urge or sensation immediately before or after a tic, called a premonitory urge.Sometimes, a tic can be suppressed for some time; however, suppressing a tic usually is extremely difficult for the person and, eventually, they will tic.
Tic Disorders
The frequency with which tics occur, the amount of time a person has tics, and the types of tics they have can all determine whether or not they have a tic disorder.
There are currently three types of tic disorders recognized in theDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, orDSM-5. The DSM-5 is the handbook that mental health professionals use to diagnose disorders.
The three types of tic disorders are:
Are Tics a Mental Illness?Tics are defined in the DSM-5, which mental health professionals use. However, tic disorders are considered to be neurological conditions, not mental illnesses.
Are Tics a Mental Illness?
Tics are defined in the DSM-5, which mental health professionals use. However, tic disorders are considered to be neurological conditions, not mental illnesses.
It is believed that tics result from changes in the area of the brain that controls movement.Problems with howdopamine(a neurotransmitter with an important role in movement) breaks down may also cause tics.
Tics may also be due to genetics. In particular, research shows that Tourette’s syndrome, the most severe tic disorder, may be due to an inherited dominant gene.
Certain environmental factors have also been linked to the development of Tourette’s. These includesmoking during pregnancy, low birth weight, other pregnancy complications, and certain childhood infections, like strep throat.
In other cases, tics may be the result of drugs or medications. Cocaine and amphetamines have been associated with tics.Medications prescribed for psychosis can also cause tics. This is referred to astardive dyskinesia. When tics result from drugs, a tic disorder is not diagnosed.
Associated Conditions
Tics are associated with various health conditions beyond just the three tic disorders mentioned above.
Some health conditions that frequently occur with tics include:
Often, children outgrow tics as they get into their late teens and early 20s.However, this doesn’t happen for everyone, and adult-onset tics are also possible.
Unfortunately, there is no simple cure for tics. However, various treatments can help lessen the frequency and severity of tics and help you get back to living a full life.
Some treatments for tics are:
Summary
A tic is a sudden movement or sound over which the person having it has no control. Tics can be movement- or vocal-related, and they can be simple or complex. Some examples of tics include sniffing, blinking, punching, yelling, barking, and repeating sentences. There are three types of tic disorders, but you can also have tics due to medications or other co-occurring conditions.
7 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.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diagnosis for tic disorders.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tourette syndrome.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Tourette syndrome.American Academy of Childhood and Adolescent Psychiatry.Tic disorders.National Health Service (UK).Tics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for Tourette syndrome.Georgitsi M, Willsey AJ, Mathews CA, et al.The genetic etiology of tourette syndrome: large-scale collaborative efforts on the precipice of discovery.Front Neurosci. 2016;10:351. doi:10.3389/fnins.2016.00351
7 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.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diagnosis for tic disorders.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tourette syndrome.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Tourette syndrome.American Academy of Childhood and Adolescent Psychiatry.Tic disorders.National Health Service (UK).Tics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for Tourette syndrome.Georgitsi M, Willsey AJ, Mathews CA, et al.The genetic etiology of tourette syndrome: large-scale collaborative efforts on the precipice of discovery.Front Neurosci. 2016;10:351. doi:10.3389/fnins.2016.00351
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.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diagnosis for tic disorders.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tourette syndrome.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Tourette syndrome.American Academy of Childhood and Adolescent Psychiatry.Tic disorders.National Health Service (UK).Tics.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for Tourette syndrome.Georgitsi M, Willsey AJ, Mathews CA, et al.The genetic etiology of tourette syndrome: large-scale collaborative efforts on the precipice of discovery.Front Neurosci. 2016;10:351. doi:10.3389/fnins.2016.00351
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Diagnosis for tic disorders.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tourette syndrome.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.Tourette syndrome.
American Academy of Childhood and Adolescent Psychiatry.Tic disorders.
National Health Service (UK).Tics.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk factors for Tourette syndrome.
Georgitsi M, Willsey AJ, Mathews CA, et al.The genetic etiology of tourette syndrome: large-scale collaborative efforts on the precipice of discovery.Front Neurosci. 2016;10:351. doi:10.3389/fnins.2016.00351
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