Treatment for Tourette’s syndrome has drastically improved due to the development of new pharmaceuticals and a better understanding of the neurobiological basis of the disease. Nonetheless, tics persist for many patients who do not respond well to medications or are unwilling to medicate. There are several natural therapies available to minimize tic disorders, including self-hypnosis, biofeedback relaxation therapies and traditional Chinese herbal medicine.
Self-Hypnosis
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, reported that self-hypnosis aided by the use of videotape training may help children with Tourette’s syndrome to manage tic disorders. Thirty-three young patients were recruited for the study and trained in self-hypnosis techniques by watching a videotaped series featuring a boy undergoing training for tic control. The results of the study, published in the “Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics,” found that 79 percent of the participants continued to control tics after a six-week follow-up. Of theses, 46 percent were able to modify tic frequency after two self-hypnosis session, and 96 percent after three. The study concluded that self-hypnosis is a valuable addition to a multidisciplinary tic-management program.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Ningdong granule is a traditional Chinese herb that is regularly prescribed for the treatment of attention-deficit disorders. A study in the January 2010 issue of “The Journal of International Medical Research” investigated the effects of ningdong granule in pediatric patients with Tourette’s syndrome. Researcher recruited 64 pediatric patients, aged 7 to 18 yeas, and randomly divided them into two groups: the first received 1g of ningdong per day, where the second was given a placebo. After eight weeks of treatment, the ningdong group showed a 41.4 percent decrease in tic frequency, while the placebo group displayed slightly more than a 10 percent reduction. Only two participants complained of side-effects – loss of appetite and constipation. The researchers concluded that ningdong granule is a safe and effective alternative therapy for the treatment of tic disorders in Tourette’s syndrome patients.
Biofeedback Relaxation Therapy
Biofeedback relaxation therapy is a behavioral modification technique to lower anxiety by slowing one’s breathing rate, blood pressure and muscle tension. Researchers at the University of Essex in England evaluated the effects of biofeedback relaxation therapy as a nonpharmacological treatment to control tics in patients with Tourette’s syndrome. The frequency of tics were monitored in two different physiological states -- aroused and relaxed -- using the galvanic skin response, or GSR, which is a sensitive index of sympathetic nervous system activity. The researchers monitored 15 individuals diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome using GSR in both aroused and relaxed states. The study found that tics were significantly reduced when biofeedback relaxation therapy was applied and rapidly increased in an aroused state. The researchers concluded that biofeedback relaxation therapy is a potential therapeutic tool for reducing the frequency of tics in patients with Tourette’s syndrome.
Contrary Findings
A study conducted at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, investigated the effects of behavioral relaxation therapy as a treatment for Tourette’s syndrome in 16 child patients recruited from their pediatric clinic. Participants were randomly assigned to either a relaxation therapy group or a minimal therapy control group for a one-hour intervention each week for six weeks. At the end of the trial, the researchers found no significant differences in the behavioral measures between the groups based on a scale called the Child Behavioral Checklist. The study concluded that relaxation therapy has only a limited role in the treatment of tics in Tourette’s syndrome.
References
- “Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics”; Nonpharmacological Treatment of Tics in Tourette Syndrome Adding Videotape Training to Self-Hypnosis; J.E. Lazarus and S.K. Klein; July-August 2010
- “The Journal of International Medical Research”; Traditional Chinese Medicine Ningdong Granule: The Beneficial Effects in Tourette's Disorder; L. Zhao, et al.; January 2010
- “Journal of Psychosomatic Research”; Influence of Sympathetic Autonomic Arousal on Tics: Implications for a Therapeutic Behavioral Intervention for Tourette Syndrome; Yoko Nagai, et al.; December 2009
- “Pediatric Neurology”; Relaxation Therapy in Tourette Syndrome: A Pilot Study; Ann Bergin, et al.; February 1998
