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Question 82: Is there a form of TS with
an adult onset? I've been struggling with an "adult onset tic
disorder" for over 2 years now, both vocal and physical, quite
a repertoire. Never a day without it, often dozens of events in a
day. I won't go into all the tests and specialists ....I'm a scientist
(biological microcopy) very much into leading a balanced life and
alternative medicine, and have pretty much given up on websites, doctors,
any type of treatment -- conventional or alternative -- this is just
part of who I am now. Anyway, do you think that information, research,
whatever, about TS can be relevant to someone who, by definition,
can't have TS due to the age of onset? I also have a more direct factual
question: Can the tics lead to other physical problems? My most common
and violent tic is a snapping of my head straight backward. Often
very vocal as well -- barking, gasping. Now my shoulders are sore
all the time, diagnosed as "shoulder impingement syndrome"
could it be related to my tics? Thanks in advance, G.M., ME., USA.
Good day
sir!
Thanks
for writing -- I hope I can help, but quite frankly there is probably
little I can say that can compete with all of the benefits a "this
is just part of who I am now" attitude can foster. I really must
applaud you G.: the headspace in which you now live is a difficult place
to find, particularly after only two years and particularly when you
haven't found a name for your symptoms yet (although ultimately, as
I'm sure you've found, a name for your difference doesn't matter nearly
as much as how you react to and live with it). You should be proud of
the journey you've traversed.
While
no there is no such diagnosis for an adult-onset TS, I'm heartened to
hear that you've been to plenty of specialists to eliminate the possibility
of these tics being a result of, for example, a more sinister medical
condition. To answer your question, yes I think that reading up on TS
is still relevant for you: while a number of causes can lead to TS -
like symptoms, ultimately TS-like symptoms are TS-like symptoms, and
can benefit from similar strategies. Think of it this way; any given
geographical destination can be reached by a number of routes -- road,
detour, sidewalk, and cross-country. Regardless of the path each individual
takes, once everyone reaches that destination there is little if anything
to discriminate the means each took to reach that end.
Also,
as I note in my most recent Disinhibited Thoughts
(#20; The Big Family) there are a number of
aspects to Living In Disorder that transgress specific symptoms. Regardless
of the name that is ultimately chosen for your condition, plenty of
information on coping (in the TS literature and beyond) can be relevant
to you.
Can the
tics lead to other physical problems? Absolutely. We use our bodies
more, and more rigorously, than others do in a day on average. Hence
ours will likely wear out and break down faster if we do not take preventative
actions to avoid this. Chiropractic, for instance, has been vitally
important in my not being twisted into an old, arthritic ball at age
29.
