Posted by Larry Hoover on June 8, 2005, at 12:01:22
In reply to Nervous twitches - causes??, posted by Fionamck on June 8, 2005, at 11:40:02
> The twitches seem to be getting worse. They involve hunching and tensing my neck down into my shoulders, clenching my hands into fists and, recently, tensing up my upper stomach muscles. It's somewhere between voluntary and involuntary; i know it's coming and I try to relax, but feel a great compulsion to twitch and often have to stop what I am doing so that I can tense my hands etc.
You're almost perfectly describing a tic, one of the diagnostic features of Tourette's syndrome.
Stress is indeed a factor. And many years can pass between episodes.
http://www.healthieryou.com/tourfact.html
The "cause" has recently been linked to the dopamine D2 receptor, but meds that hit that receptor can have some significant side effects.
The first thing you need to do is come to a better understanding of what you have to manage. A proper diagnosis, a little education, some stress management, perhaps some meds. There are also alternative strategies being used for symptom reduction.
Best,
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:509633
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050603/msgs/509637.html