TICs after Trauma

[Zenman1]

I have a few patients (adults) with significant tics which started after traumatic experiences. Anyone else experienced this?

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[Bartelby]

I have. So far I have noticed:

-Facial grimacing
-Repeatedly opening eyes widely but briefly
-Darting lateral glances
-Not really tics, but nervous leg shaking or hand wringing

So far I have chalked it up to hypervigilence, or the effects of being relentlessly flooded with stress hormones.

 

[Ceke2002]

Interesting. I have occasional tics bought on by high anxiety levels or stress. Had stuff like Tourettes ruled out, but the facial grimacing and wide eyed stuff that Bartelby mentioned definition fits with my tics (along with rapid blinking). I never really considered it to be trauma related though. Anyway, thanks for starting this topic, you've given me something to discuss with my Psychiatrist next session.

 

[smalltownpsych]

I have seen it with a few back when I did some training at a VA. Seems like I haven't seen it in non-combat trauma patients though. On the other hand, this is what I will probably look like after our quarterly Behavioral Health committee meeting today:

 

[Shikima]

I've treated a few with anxiety induced TICs, but also exacerbation of their movement disorder when anxiety is not well controlled. There was one person who dropped off with treatment in having a valsalva maneuvering tic.