It is possible that at some time in your life you have seen someone who suffered from a nervous tic and you did not understand why it happened, you simply saw how they had a repetitive movement with some part of their body. It is even possible that you have or have suffered a nervous tic at some point in your life. There are times when tics appear, they disappear, But it is also possible that nervous tics get worse depending on the emotional or health circumstances of the person suffering from it.
What are nervous tics
Generally, nervous tics usually appear in children and usually in them, they are transitory and disappear on their own after a few weeks or months. Instead, There are times when a nervous tic can become a problem that lasts a lifetime. and that therefore also affects adults.
Nerve tics are repeated involuntary contractions of one or more muscles. Although a nervous tic can occur in any part of the body, the most common are in the face, arms, shoulders and legs.
The most common nervous tics are those of excessive blinking, movements in the face or jerky movements that cannot be controlled in extremities such as arms or legs. These movements are usually sudden and for those who suffer it, it is an unpleasant experience. for not being able to control it and also because it is not very understandable to others.
There are people who are able to suppress nervous tics for a while, it requires a lot of concentration and it is really exhausting. It is also very difficult to achieve, for example, have you ever tried not to sneeze when you felt like it? Suppressing a sneeze is very complicated and you may even think it is impossible ... because you really want to get out and once the sneezing process begins there is no going back, having a great feeling of relief once you have sneezed. The procedure for a tic disorder is similar to this.
Beyond involuntary movements
As you have been able to verify, a tic is an involuntary movement such as blinking in a specific way, moving a limb in an involuntary way ... but a tic can also be to clear the throat or have verbal noises or tics, these tics are less common.
Most people with nervous tics are not nervous or have anxiety problems, although their tics may be worse when they are nervous or anxious. Although, for example, people with obsessive compulsive behavior may be more likely to suffer from tics than other people, in reality anyone could have them at some point in their lives.
Causes of nervous tics
Although there are no specific causes for knowing what causes nervous tics, it is now known that they are not always completely involuntary. There are people who when they have a condition or have unpleasant health problems, performing tics momentarily relieves them, especially on an emotional or physical level, and that is why they use blinking, shaking or other movements.
They use nervous tics to be able to suppress unpleasant sensations in the short term. But this has negative consequences and is that it can make that tic become something more severe even after the main unpleasant condition has been overcome.
There are also other causes that can cause tics such as genetics or dietary deficiencies (such as a lack of magnesium). Anxiety and taking other medications can also cause nervous tics. Stress, fatigue, certain illnesses, or overestimation can also make these movements worse. nervous in the affected person.
Is there any type of treatment?
When a person suffers from a tic disorder and begins to notice that it is affecting their life more than it should, then they will probably want to seek medical help to find a treatment that suits their needs.
In principle, medicines are not always an immediate help because it may take some time to find the correct medicine or even to be able to find a combination of medicines and the correct and exact dosage for movement control without there being a worsening in the movement. quality of life of the person affects.
For example, finding a way to reduce a tic from one minute to one that occurs every five minutes can make a big difference for the affected person. Completely disappearing tic can be more difficult to achieve, but do not lose hope. Sometimes the underlying cause that may be causing the tic has to be found first, and once the underlying cause (such as anxiety, stress, illness, or taking a specific medication) is treated, then the nervous tic disappears little by little and on its own.
Sometimes taking medications to reduce nervous tics can have side effects that ultimately make the person tired and they prefer to stop the medication, especially if it causes dizziness, lightheadedness or other unpleasant and annoying side effects. When tics are known to worsen in certain situations, it will also be necessary to learn to handle those specific situations, so that other ways can be found. alleviate the feeling of discomfort without a tic being the main objective to control.
Children with nervous tics
Many children have nervous tics and although it may be transitory, it can affect them, especially on an emotional level. When they have a nervous tic, it will be necessary for parents to see a pediatric neurologist as soon as possible. In some cases nervous tics may disappear during adolescence or worsen at this stage and then disappear.
Nerve tics can be difficult to control and there are few prescription medications for this condition, especially in children, because of the unwanted side effects, they could even make the tics worse! In children, before trying medication it is better to look for other alternative ways to treat tics, such as finding the underlying cause that causes it and even, go to therapy for the control of emotions or the control of tics in some key moments.