Nervous tick in adults

A nervous tic in adults is a disease of the nervous system in which a person experiences frequent and repetitive involuntary contractions of a specific muscle group. And although from the outside, it looks like ordinary movements, in fact it is not. Tics cause discomfort and interfere with meaningful communication.

Causes of a nervous tic in adults

Nervous tics are divided into primary, secondary and hereditary.

The primary form of teak. It can be called:

• psychological trauma;
• neuroses;
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD);
• phobias;
• fatigue;
• depression;
• addiction to alcohol and psychostimulants.

It is believed that primary tics are most often prone to choleric temperament. The disease disappears if the provoking causes are identified and eliminated.

secondary form. It is a consequence of the disease against the background of which one or another tick has developed. It can be:

• infectious diseases (encephalitis, meningitis);
• diseases of internal organs (diabetes mellitus, kidney and liver diseases);
• mental illness (schizophrenia);
• a brain tumor;
• non-communicable diseases of the brain;
• birth trauma;
• subconsciously fixed movements, for example, in diseases of the upper respiratory tract, patients are forced to constantly swallow saliva, which can continue after recovery.

Nervous tics can be caused by certain medications or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Hereditary form of tick. It occurs against the background of genetic abnormalities, in half of the cases it is Tourette’s disease, in which multiple muscle tics and the repetition of the same sounds or words are observed. The disease manifests itself at any age and passes during life.

Possible reasons include:

• poor environmental conditions;
• lack of vitamin B6 and magnesium;
• frequent stress or bacterial infections.

Symptoms of a nervous tic in adults

Symptoms of nervous tics are diverse and are divided into several groups:

• mimic – twitching of the eyes, eyebrows or lips;
• motorized – twitching and snapping of fingers, involuntary flexion of the limbs at the joints, swinging arms, stomping or even bouncing;
• vocal – spread to the vocal cords and are manifested by incoherent screams, shouting out words and various sounds, loud sighs, coughing or even grunting;
• sensory – associated with sensations that a person does not actually experience, but cannot influence them. It can be a feeling of cold or heat all over the body, itching in the ear or “ants running” in the stomach, or yawning. The clinical picture is aggravated by strong psycho-emotional stress and weakens in a calm state.

According to the degree of muscle involvement, nervous tics are divided into:

• tics that affect a specific muscle, muscle area, and less often a small group of muscles are called local;
• tics that affect large areas of the body or almost the entire body, they are called generalized – such a tic can begin with a twitch of the face, then move to the neck, then to the shoulders, arms, torso and legs;
• tics from the same type and simple movements are most common, doctors classify them as simple;
• twitching of different muscle groups, in which the patient can jump and at the same time accompany it with cries, is called complex.

Treatment of a nervous tic in adults

With a simple nervous tic, first of all, it is recommended to eliminate the cause that provokes it. It can be problems at work or in the family. To normalize the functioning of the nervous system, soothing teas and compresses are used, which are applied to the site of muscle contraction or coniferous baths.

If a nervous tic is caused by a person’s psychological state, psychotherapy can be used. This will not reduce the tics, but it does change the patient’s attitude towards the problem and towards tics in general. With the help of psychotherapy methods, you can relieve internal tension and alleviate the tolerance of tics. There are special techniques that allow patients to control tics.

Doctors recommend not to leave nervous tics unattended, as the disease can lead to serious problems.

Diagnostics

When a nervous tic appears, to find out its causes and treatment, first of all, you need to contact a neurologist.

Comprehensive diagnostics includes:

• neurological examination;
• collection of anamnesis;
• biochemical and general blood analysis;
• EEG of the brain;
• brain x-ray;
• CT scan;
• MRI;
• Ultrasound;
• dopplerography (examination of blood vessels).

If necessary, the neurologist will appoint consultations of third-party specialists: a psychiatrist, a traumatologist, an oncologist.

Modern treatments

Primary nervous tics. As a medical support for uncomplicated primary tics, sedatives are used, for example, valerian or motherwort.

Antipsychotics may be recommended by specialists to manage symptoms. In severe and complex mental conditions, patients are prescribed antidepressants, tranquilizers and potent psychotropic substances. But remember that they can be used strictly under the supervision of the attending physician.

hereditary nervous tics. The same treatment is prescribed as for primary tics, but drug therapy will be the main one, and creating a calm atmosphere for the patient is secondary. Depending on the intensity of the manifestations and the severity of the manifestations, anticholinergic and antipsychotic drugs are prescribed.

Secondary nervous tics. Treatment is associated with the elimination of concomitant disease and depends on its severity. This can be as a standard medication, so surgical intervention.

Prevention of nervous tics in adults at home

Despite the fact that a nervous tic is a disease that does not occur just like that, experts believe that there are recommendations that can be followed to reduce the risk of its development. These include:

• balanced diet;
• compliance with the sleep regimen;
• sports and yoga;
• positive attitude and positive thinking;
• doing what you love (hobby);
• mastering the methods of self-control.

Remember that the following can provoke the development of a nervous tic:

• long work to the detriment of your sleep and rest;
• being among negative people;
• coffee overdose;
• watching movies with violent scenes and abuse of computer games.

Popular questions and answers

Regarding nervous tics and their treatment, we talked with specialists – neurologists.