Q: I am suffering from Tics in the eye lids and facial Tics. While speaking my eyes blink and my voice shivers. In a meeting I am unable to introduce my self as my lips voice and face is shivering. Due to this I keep to myself only even at work. The seniors feel that I am not working as I keep aloof. Can these Tics be cured? If so whom shall I consult? I want to come out of this problem as early as possible. I met a psychiatrist who gave me Traika tablets to treat anxiety. But that is not helping to overcome my problem. Does hypnotherapy help in this case?

A:Tics are repetitive, stereotyped movements or sounds (like blinking, sniffing, touching the ground, or tensing the abdomen) that often have a sensory, emotional, and volitional input. They tend to occur in bouts rather than being distributed evenly and if seen over several months, clustering of days with worse tics can be noted. They also tend to fluctuate in severity, distribution, and character over time. Tics are worse at times of emotional stress and are diminished dramatically during sleep and tend to improve somewhat when the person is absorbed in an enjoyable or demanding activity. It is likely that the disease is due to imbalance in chemical(s) within the brain. The problem faced by people is commonly is social in nature and these individuals tend to withdraw from many activities as prejudice in workplace is noted. As tics also interrupt behaviour and thought, there may be a problem at times in conversation or in doing physical tasks. There is also the threat of inadvertent injuries. A large number of drugs including dopamine receptor antagonists, neuroleptics etc. have shown be effective in reducing tic frequency. Habit reversal therapy also helps. Please consult a neurologist who will be able to help you.