What Is a Nervous Tick?

Tics, or nervous tics, are sudden, repetitive movements that are difficult to suppress or control, much like a cough. They may be motor tics or vocal tics and have the appearance of a nervous behavior.

Function

• According to Kids Health, up to 25 percent of people experience a temporary tic before the age of 18. Many begin as nervous habit and most will resolve on their own without any treatment.

Types

• Some common vocal tics include coughing or throat clearing, sniffing or hissing while some common motor tics include shoulder shrugging, eye blinking, lip biting, head twitching and nose scrunching or facial grimaces.

Prevention/Solution

• For most simple and transient tics the best treatment, particularly for children, is just reassurance. Paying too much attention to the tic often only makes it worse. If the tic is especially bothersome, medications such as benzodiazepines can be helpful by blocking neurotransmitters believed to contribute to tics.