Tourettes

[Crissy]

Do I have tourrettes?

 

I sometimes doing these things;

abdominal tensing, adjusting crotch area, adjusting wedgie, arm extending, biting nails, biting lips, blinking eyes, brushing hair out of eyes, bulging eyes, chin touching, clothes pulling, cracking knuckles, rolling eyes, winking, facial grimacing, finger smelling, foot flexing, foot tapping, foot shaking, gluteal tensing, head jerk, head turn, jerking neck, leg tensing, licking lips, shoulder lifting, lip pouting, nose twitching, nose touching, rolling shoulders, toe scrunching, tongue clicking, blowing on fingers, clearing throat, grunting, holding breath, laughing, breathing loudly, sniffing, snorting, talking to myself and ear popping.

 

Most of these I don't do often but some of them I do quite a lot. I'm not sure if it's tourrettes or not because I can't describe it as involuntary. Normally I'd do these actions because that certain place feels uncomfortable and I need to do it to get it normal again. I'm 15 years old. Only my younger brother (11 years old) has similar actions and he also swallows the air and grunts a lot. Most of my other siblings only sniff and clear their throat. I'm about 65% sure that my parents don't have tourrettes, although I haven't asked them. Could some-one please tell me if I have tourrettes or tourrettism?

Edited September 13, 2011 by Crissy

[Chemar]

Hi

we cannot diagnose you but it does sound like there are tics in the family, which could be Tourette but it could also be related to other things that can cause tics...

 

Do either of your parents have tics?

Do you and your siblings get strep throat?

Any bites from ticks?

[Familyof5]

Don't forget mold exposure

[Crissy]

What is strep throat?

Could you please explain in a fair amount of detail?

 

Also, I have once been bitten by a tick (on the shin) a bit over a year ago.

Thanks

Edited September 15, 2011 by Crissy

[Chemar]

Hi Crissy

strep throat is caused when you are infected with streptococcus bacteria. If you and your siblings get frequent sore throats and other strep symptoms, it is worth asking your parents to investigate P.A.N.D.A.S. (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus) as sometimes this can be the cause of tics

 

It also seems that Lyme Disease, caused by tick bites, can cause neurological symptoms like tics

 

We have forums for both here

 

It is also possible that your family has genetic inheritance of Tourette Syndrome, which is why I asked if they also have tics.

 

There are other things that can also cause tics.

If your parents are interested in finding our more, perhaps they can also join here and start reading to find out more