1. Learn the Difference Between Simple and Complex Tics
Tics are the most prominent symptom of Tourette's syndrome. A tic is an involuntary utterance or movement that may become increasingly severe or repetitive over time. While tics are an extremely individualized phenomena, with no two cases of Tourette's syndrome being exactly alike, they can be categorized as simple or complex.
A simple tic tends to be repetitive and short-lived, occurring spontaneously in a localized region of the body. Complex tics may involve several motions to make up a single pattern, which is then repeated, and they may use several different muscle groups. An example of a simple tic is an eye that spontaneously winks, while a complex tic might compel a person to jerk his head to one side while involuntarily touching his nose.
2. Motor Tics to Look For
You'll find examples of both simple and complex motor tics. Simple motor tics involve body movements only and are often centered on the face. Examples include sudden nodding, sudden head movements in a certain direction and spontaneous blinking. You may also identify some simple hand gestures in a patient's pattern of signs and symptoms. Arm flapping is a common complex motor tic. Patients also smell things spontaneously and touch themselves or other people.
3. Listen for Vocal Tics
Symptoms of simple vocal tics include barking, throat gurgling and a variety of short, sharp, unintelligible sounds. As a patient gets older, she might jump between different tones of voice while speaking, repeat phrases she hears or swear involuntarily. Tics are not a medical phenomenon limited to Tourette's syndrome. They have many possible causes, and you should take the patient to a doctor to rule out all other possible origins.
