Tourette's syndrome is a difficult disease for a person to live with because they have little to no control over tics or outbursts. The most common of signs of Tourette's is tics or twitches, which are often seen as sporadic and unexpected quick movements of the face, although the hands are also commonly affected. However, most people with Tourette's syndrome will tell you that the vocal outbursts are the most distressing aspect of this disorder. An individual with Tourette's syndrome might be sitting in the classroom, the boardroom, or out shopping in public when uncontrolled cursing begins. This sudden eruption of language, which the person has no control over, is embarrassing to them and mortifying to people hearing the outburst. For this reason, some people with Tourette's will simply stay locked up at home, which then leads to other problems such as depression. While the exact cause of Tourette's syndrome is still a mystery, most medical doctors and scientists believe it has to do with a breakdown of signals in the brain that control concentration and emotion. Because the criteria used for diagnosing this disease is so strict, most people believe that Tourette's is a rare condition, but in truth, this is a relatively common disorder.
Lifestyle Recommendations:
• Look for Streptococcus virus associated with PANDAS. • Practice good sleep habits; get between 8-9 hours of sleep each night. • Engage in mental exercise by consistently learning new skills and information. • Consider incorporating music therapy • Consider therapeutic body-based methods such as chiropractic and massage. • Keep a food journal to observe whether certain foods exacerbate the condition.
Dietary Tips and Caveats:
• Follow a ketogenic diet; also, restrict gluten and casein from the diet. • Consider the Feingold diet if additive and food dyes are suspected to be problematic. • Emphasize omega-3 (salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines) and omega-9 fats (olive oil, olives, almonds, hazelnuts, avocados, macadamia oil and coconut oil). • Choose lean, clean quality protein at each meal such as chicken breast, turkey breast, lean beef, fish (especially salmon and sardines), eggs and whey protein. • Drink at least 64 ounces of filtered, non-chlorinated water every day. • Avoid or limit caffeine, alcohol and other potentially neurotoxic compounds like aspartame and MSG
Neurofeedback and Tourette's
Neurofeedback has been receiving a significant amount of at in regards to Tourette's Syndrome. Clinical studies show great potential for the effectiveness of this intervention, which trains the patient to control brain wave frequencies, which in turn, may control and even stop the symptoms. The tics of this disease usually respond quickly and favorably to neurofeedback. Neurofeedback training is a self-regulation strategy. The brain is trained at the point where the tics are to reduce or eliminate them. In a brain with TS there is over-arousal. There is a high degree of excitability of the motor system. The overarching need is for this brain to experience calming, both in general and specifically in regard to motor circuits. When such calming is achieved tics (motor and vocal) may be reduced.
Chiropractic Care and Tourette's Syndrome
Since Tourette’s is a neurological disorder, it only makes sense that a neurologically- based chiropractor can have a huge effect on the life of someone with TS. Neurological disorders affect the entire central nervous system and how the brain communicates with the rest of the body. When a chiropractor adjusts a vertebra, it restores proper communication throughout the nerves and the entire body benefits. Not only can chiropractic help reduce the severity and frequency of tics, but it can also decrease the presence of comorbidities, leading to an improved quality of life.