Treatment:

Many patients with Tourette syndrome who have very minor symptoms are not treated, because the side effects of the medications may be worse than the symptoms of Tourette syndrome.

Drugs used to treat tics include:

• Antiseizure medications
• Blood pressure medicine called clonidine
• Botulinum toxin injections (can control some motor tics)
• Dopamine blockers, such as fluphenazine, haloperidol, pimozide and risperidone (can help control or reduce tics, but they have side effects)

Deep brain stimulation has shown promise for treating both the main symptoms of Tourette syndrome and the obsessive-compulsive behaviors.

Support Groups:

Tourette Syndrome Association - www.tsa-usa.org

Expectations (prognosis):

Symptoms usually peak during the teenage years and then improve in early adulthood. Although 1 in 4 patients may be symptom-free for a few years, only 8% of symptoms go away without returning.

Patients usually have normal intelligence and live a normal-length life.

Complications:

Conditions that may occur in people who have Tourette syndrome include:

• Anger control issues
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Impulsive behavior
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Poor social skills

These conditions need to be diagnosed and treated.

Calling your health care provider:

Make an appointment with your health care provider if you have tics that are severe or persistent, or if they interfere with your daily life.