Trigeminal Neuralgia/Tic Disoders

Chronic motor tic disorder is a condition that involves quick, uncontrollable movements or vocal outbursts (but not both).


Chronic motor tic disorder is more common than Tourette syndrome. Chronic tics may be forms of Tourette syndrome. Tics usually start at age 5 or 6 and get worse until age 12. They often improve during adulthood.


A tic is a sudden, fast, repeated movement or sound that has no reason or goal. Tics can involve:

  • Excessive blinking
  • Grimaces of the face
  • Quick movements of the arms, legs, or other areas
  • Sounds (grunts, throat clearing, contractions of the abdomen or diaphragm)

Some persons have many kinds of tics.

A person with the condition can hold off these symptoms for a short time. But they feel relief when they carry out these movements. They often describe the tics as a response to an inner urge. Some say they have abnormal sensations in the area of the tic before it occurs.

Tics may continue during all stages of sleep. They may get worse with:

  • Excitement
  • Fatigue
  • Heat
  • Stress

Exams and Tests


To be diagnosed with the disorder:

  • You must have had the tics nearly every day for more than a year
  • You have not had a tic-free period longer than 3 months


Treatment depends on how severe the tics are and how the condition affects you. Medicines and talk therapy (psychotherapy) are used when the tics greatly affect daily activities, such as school and job performance.

Medicines can help control or reduce tics. But they have side effects, such as movement and thinking problems.

Outlook (Prognosis)

Children who develop this disorder between ages 6 and 8 usually do very well. Symptoms may last 4 to 6 years, and then stop in the early teens without treatment.


When to Contact a Medical Professional


If you cannot tell whether your movements are a tic or something more serious (such as a seizure), contact your physician.


Information courtesy of the U.S. National LIbrary of Medicine