Tourette syndrome or Tourette's disease is a genetically transmitted disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that appears in childhood and manifests as multiple motor tics and at least one vocal tic. Previously considered very rare, this disease is now diagnosed in about 10 children out of 1000, although mild forms of Tourette's disease are still difficult to detect.
Experienced neurologists at Top Ihilov successfully treat Tourette syndrome using the latest psychotherapeutic methods and the most recent pharmacological developments.
Treatment of Tourette syndrome at Top Ihilov is conducted under the guidance of the head of the Parkinson's disease and movement disorders clinic in the neurology department, Dr. Tatyana Gurevich.
Treatment of Tourette Syndrome at Top Ihilov
The key to treating Tourette's disease is an individual approach, as there are no universal treatment methods.
If the disease is in a mild form, psychotherapy is used. There can be many psychological reasons for Tourette's disease: depression, social isolation, and so on. Work is usually conducted not only with the patient but also with their surroundings, family, and friends.
In cases of advanced forms of the disease, pharmacological agents are used, primarily to alleviate symptoms, antipsychotics, and antihypertensive medications.
Diagnosis of Tourette Syndrome
Not long ago, Tourette syndrome was associated with the utterance of obscene words, but this manifestation occurs only in a small number of patients.
Motor tics often appear between the ages of 2-8 years, while vocal tics can appear both before and after them.
Specialists primarily study the clinical picture and investigate the occurrence of the disease within the family.
Additionally, the following tests are conducted:
- General and biochemical blood tests
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- Computed tomography
Types of Tourette Syndrome
Types of Tourette syndrome are divided:
Depending on the type of tic:
- motor tics;
- vocal tics.
Depending on the duration:
- transient (one or both types of tics lasting from 4 weeks to 12 months);
- chronic (one type of tic lasting more than 1 year).
Symptoms of Tourette Syndrome
The spontaneous utterance of obscene words is the most common but not the main symptom of Tourette syndrome. More frequently observed are coughing or blinking, scratching, and various other compulsive actions and tics.