Facial Tics (Tourette Syndrome?)

[AnalBumCover]

I have not been diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome, nor have I approached a doctor about my conditions. Thus I have received no medical advice about this other than what I have been reading on the internet.

I have suffered from facial tics from as long as I remember. These tics have come and gone in various forms over the years: wrinkling my nose, flaring my nostrils, jerking or nodding my head, constant and heavy blinking, twitching my cheeks, twitching my eyebrows. Currently my tic is to open my eyelids really wide.

If I am actively aware of my tics, I can control my face or head and subdue them temporarily. But it takes a lot of effort and concentration, and the moment I'm out of sight of other people, I release and let my tics fire away. The relief I feel afterwards feels something like the first exhale after holding my breath underwater for five minutes.

Does anyone else her suffer from facial tics? What exercises do you do to control or even eliminate them altogether? I've read that they might come as a result of vitamin or mineral deficiency such as iron or magnesium.

I've also read that Tourette Syndrome would be diagnosed if one has both facial and verbal tics. There was one point in my youth that I remember making faint grunting noises, but that went away after about a year.

[Super Ugly]

You say that they come and go. Does anything trigger them? I used to suffer from them, especially when I was a kid (pretty much everything you described above has applied to me at some point during my life). As an adult, I might go through a very brief (and we're talking days here) period where I develop a tic, and I'd say it's always brought on by something stressful.

Have you considered seeing a doctor or psychologist about it? If it's having a detrimental effect on your life as an adult, then perhaps you could look at therapeutic treatments.

I know that it can be really miserable and all that, but I'd say that tics are way more common than you'd think. I've known so many people over the years who have them.

[AnalBumCover]

When I say they come and go, I really meant that my tic has evolved from one type to another. I don't think there was a time when I was free from tics for a long period, though I may not have noticed it. Like when your hiccups stop, you never really notice they're gone unless you really think about it.

That said, nothing really triggers my tics. They're always there. But yes stressful or embarassing situations do tend to make them more pronounced. I remember one time in college, I did or said something embarassing and all eyes were suddenly on me. My cheek twitching went wild for about 10-15 seconds.

My tics aren't really affecting my life - social, career or otherwise. It's just an inconvenience that I would rather not have. It's only recently that I decided to read up on this condition.

[Eaglesfan27]

Not offering any specific medical advice, but it sounds like a classic "motor tic disorder" which is believed to be due to too much Dopamine in certain parts of the brain. If it bothers you, I'd recommend talking to your doctor about it, but if it really doesn't affect your life, you may just want to let it roll. The main reason I treat tics in kids is when they are getting teased and it affects their social life as a result.