Recognizing Early Signs of Tourette’s

Tourette’s syndrome — a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary movements and vocalizations known as tics — affects 1.4 million Americans. While it often begins in childhood, early signs can sometimes be overlooked or mistaken for other conditions. 

Tourette’s syndrome is a type of movement disorder that our team of experts diagnose and treat here at Link Neuroscience Institute in our Camarillo, Oxnard, or Santa Barbara, California, locations. 

Read on to learn the earliest signs of Tourette’s syndrome and how it’s treated.

What are the early signs of Tourette’s syndrome?

You might suspect that you have Tourette’s syndrome if:

1. You have frequent, uncontrollable movement (motor tics)

Motor tics are sudden, repetitive movements that you can’t control. These may include:

• Excessive blinking or eye movements
• Facial expressions, including grimacing or twitches 
• Shoulder shrugging
• Head jerking
• Sudden arm or leg movements

Motor tics often start subtly and may be mistaken for habits like fidgeting or restlessness.

2. You make unusual noises or have vocal tics

In addition to physical movements, early signs of Tourette’s can include vocal tics, such as:

• Throat clearing
• Grunting or sniffing
• Repeating words or phrases
• Sudden outbursts of sounds

Vocal tics may be soft or infrequent at first, which makes them easy to dismiss as normal behaviors.

3. Tics become worse with stress or excitement

You might notice that your tics often become more noticeable in stressful, exciting, or high-energy situations. 

For example, a child may experience increased tics at school, during social interactions with friends, or when feeling anxious. However, tics may temporarily decrease when the child is focused or relaxed.

4. You have difficulty suppressing a tic

People with Tourette’s may feel a strong urge before a tic occurs, similar to the sensation of needing to sneeze. You might attempt to suppress the tic, but it eventually happens anyway, often with increased intensity.

5. You have co-occurring behavior or emotional challenges

Tourette’s syndrome frequently appears alongside other conditions, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and anxiety or mood disorders. About 30% of people with ADHD have tics, and about 60% of people with Tourette’s syndrome exhibit OCD symptoms.

If you’re displaying repetitive behaviors, struggle with attention, or experience emotional regulation difficulties along with tics, it may be worth seeking an evaluation.

How is Tourette’s syndrome diagnosed?

Our team diagnoses Tourette's syndrome through a clinical evaluation of your symptoms, a medical history review, and observation over time. Your Link Neuroscience Institute neurologist looks for characteristic motor and vocal tics that have persisted for at least one year, typically beginning in childhood. 

There aren’t any specific lab tests or brain scans that confirm the condition, but imaging or other tests may be used to rule out other neurological disorders. For example, Parkinson’s disease can also cause issues with movements.

During your evaluation, our team also assesses how the tics impact your daily life and whether they are accompanied by other conditions like ADHD or OCD, which often co-occur with Tourette’s.

Treatments for Tourette’s syndrome 

There isn’t currently a cure for Tourette’s syndrome, but treatment can help manage the frequency and intensity of tics and improve your quality of life. 

Our team may recommend:

• Nonmedicated behavioral therapies like comprehensive behavioral intervention for tics 
• Medications, including dopamine-blocking drugs, to help reduce tic frequency
• Botulinum toxin (Botox®) injections 
• Deep brain stimulation for refractory cases 

If you suspect that you have Tourette’s syndrome (or other types of movement disorders), don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. Call the location of your choice or schedule your next appointment online.