Head Shaking Tic

[sgrunin]

This is kind of strange but I am 31 and I developed kind of a head tic a few months ago..I never really noticed it until about a week ago when my neck was ALWAYS sore and stiff..its not really a head jerking that is noticeable but little jerks that no one can notice...also tightening of the neck muscles... I am guessing that is why my neck is sore all the time....bengay has been my best friend lately....and icy hot....cools and heats :-) None of it is noticable to ANYONE so I guess that is good! One less thing I have to deal with and worry about.

 

I still consider myself new here..This is a great forum with great people willing to help each other.

 

The best thing is that everyone has different things they can bring here from experience to supplements and ways to lessen the tics.

 

The more input means better results and more ways to help each other and our children.

 

Scott

[Guest mommy2111]

Thanks for the welcome chmer,

 

it is really weird to actully talk with someone who knows what TS is All of my life I felt like i was an outcast and was treated like one by everyone kids, parents, even teachers treated me diffrent. I had my schools switched alot because no one knew what to do about my problem. serously No one around here has a clue what TS so everyone looks at me weird. I have grown use to it thoe it still hurts when someone says "Why do you shke your head, you smoke crack" That kinda stuff upsets me. There are a few people that have heard of TS here but donot know what it is and it sucks haveing no one to talk with about it.

Seriously thoe untill 2 years ago i was the only one in this county diagnosed with TS But I my self see it in some people here but I know all about TS.

Anyway Thanks for the welcom And I hop to be as helpful as i can in these forums.

Hi Ace,

 

I was really interested in your response. I constantly wonder what I can do to make things the best for my son in dealing with his TS. How did your parents handle your tics? Do you have any recomendations? I know exactly what you mean about noticing people with TS now that we are all "experts" on the topic. I find it upsetting to know that people have made rude comments to you over time. I hope you don't mind me asking questions. This forum is really my only outelt for discussing this.

[Guest jc]

I dont have TS but I do have a son with TS head shaking tic. I think among all tics, I can see from my son's facial expressions that this head shaking tic is the most painful of all tics.

 

I think aside from medication and health supplements, another best method to ease the pain is massage. Everytime my son has a increase in tics, I will give him a good massage using a gentle chinese medicated oil that is made from peppermint oil (and some other stuff i couldnt remember now). My son loves the rub on his forehead, neck, chest, thights, feet and toes. This is very stress relief and can ease the pain for a while. Especially good just before bedtime.

 

Be careful dont use something too hot though!

[Guest Ronna]

We have also just started to use the same chinese medicated oil. A friend told me about it and it is GREAT. Mine is called White Flower Analgesic balm. I find it at a local health food store. it is a bit hard to come across but well worth the effort to find it. It can be used for headache, muscular pain, insect bites or skin irritation. We were all sick with a summer flu and I used it on the kids and my neck and chest for a sore throat and the sore throat went away. My mom and many friends this summer have had the same experience of it helping with a sore throat. The oild contains:

 

Menthol

Eucalyptus Oil

Peppermint Oil

Camphor

 

Just walking past someone with the oil on will clear your sinuses! I have also used it with a steamy shower with the kids. Kurt has always been a croupy/congested kid and a few drops in a steamy bathroom is also good.

 

Ronna

[Guest jc]

Hi Ronna and everyone

 

Thanks for your sharing. Yes White Flower oil,works well for me too and is a very popula brand of medicated oil in my country too. Especially good for headaches and stuffy nose.

 

The oil that I use for my son is Yu Yee Oil and is made from:

 

Peppermint oil

clove oil

nutmeg oil

menthol

borneol

cortex cinnamoni

 

Can relief aches and pains of muscles and joints, symptoms of stomachache and cold. Also good for headaches, skin itchiness, insects bites, sore throat etc..

This oil also promotes sleep.

 

This oil is very gentle but the effects are good. This oil has been in history for about 150 years (original made in China during the Kwang-Xiu dynasty) and is very well known especially to the older folks. Usually older folks (like grandparents) like to use this oil on their grandbabies to relief colic and promote calmness in babies and young children.

 

I think all chinese medicated oil more or less works the same way, but I prefer something not too strong - like the smell and the heat produce from the oil..can be very painful if apply too much.

 

Try it.

 

jc

[georgina]

Hi:

 

I am new to the Forum and am far from being a child at 39 (except maybe at heart), but I have a head shaking tic and it ranges from being not too noticeable sometimes to being pretty violent on my bad days. I am worst when I am tired or stressed. However, someone mentioned that their son (I believe) only tics when he wears a bicycle helmet - that's not unusual! I started ticcing really badly 2 years ago due to a sensitivity problem. Whenever I put anything on my head, neck, or shoulders - hat, scarf, coat/jacket - my tics would get extremely violent! This is a big problem when you live in Canada like I do, where it gets to -20 to -35°C for 4 or 5 months of the year.

 

I am looking into Alternative meds/treatments at this point in time which is how I ended up on this forum. Looking forward to meeting people! If anyone has any questions, please free to ask away! I have lived with Tourette's since I was 8, but I was only diagnosed and started treatment in 1996. People at work don't even notice it anymore, but it is interesting that small children will mimic my tics when I am out in public!

 

Georgina

Chateauguay, QC

[Chemar]

Hi Georgina and welcome to Latitudes.

 

we look forward to getting to know you.

 

Sounds like you may have sensory integration dysfunction as well. Many people with TS have it. My son starts to tic with the feel of certain fabrics and labels and seams in clothes really set him off!

 

natural remedies have really helped him enormously.

 

Hope you will find lots of useful info here.

Cheri

[Guest Sakshi Chadha]

Hi..........I really need your help!!! I am only 12 years old and my head iks in losts of pain!It started long time ago like 2 years ago but it came for like 5 mintues that's all. Now it juts started one week ago and i can't controll it!!! my head keeps on shaking like i can't stop it and then it starts paining!!! i like always shake my head fast now beacsue even when sleeping heavy!!!!

If u know anything that could stop this pain please let me know!!!

 

SAKSHI

[Chemar]

Hello Sakshi

 

I am so sorry to hear that you are going thru all this pain.

 

Have your parents taken you to see a doctor to try to find out what is happening?

 

In the meantime it helps a lot if you put some ice in a bag and then hold that against your neck where it hurts.

If your parents know of a good chiropractor who can help that is also good because sometimes the pain is caused when you skake your head so much that the parts of your spine near your neck get "out of joint". A good chiroprator knows how to help that.

 

But most important is to try to find out what is causing the shaking and then try to treat it.

 

Please keep talking to us here so we can all try to help you too with what we have learned.

[Guest Tricia]

Hello, My daughter is 4 years old and has been shaking her head (like saying no) all of her life. I have taken her to a neorologist, and they did a cat scan,and a m.r.i. which all came back normal. she shakes her head the most while walking, running, talking , and singing. It seems to bother everyone else more than it bothers me, but a few weeks ago while at a park another little girl phisically grabbed her head and told my daughter to stop shaking her head! I almost cried. Her doctors have never said anything about meds. not that i want to go that route but i would like to try something before she starts school next year. any advice?

[Claire]

Sakshi and Tricia,

 

There are many triggers for tics, and many underlying causes.

 

I just bumped up a summary link on my thoughts, called, "my child has tics..."

 

 

My biggest recommendation is to find a doctor from the link at the top. Also, if the tics are such a problem, you might try having your child stay away from screens for one week. e.g. no TV, gameboy, movie or computers. It doesn't work for everyone, but it helped guest_jennifer's son with his painful neck tics, and it has helped others here. The reason I say one week is that is long enough to see if it really is a trigger for the tic.

 

Claire

[Jennifer_M]

Just to second what Claire said:

 

No screens reduced my sons neck tic to only doing it when really anxious or excited about something. Then he would only do it once or twice. He was taking 6 adult motrin a day for pain the day we started "no screens week" and by the end of the week, he needed no medicine.

 

This is so worth a try, expecially if your tics are causing pain.

 

I hope you find an answer.

 

Jennifer M.