Tic onset in late teens??

[baschwal]

It seems that I may have developed a tic, but I'd like someone with a little insight to tell me if I'm right or not. This is something that I think has been happening for some years, but I don't think it's always happened. I've just ignored it and thought it was normal until a roommate noticed and started asking me about it. So here is what I've been experiencing.

I'm a 19 year old sophomore in college, and what I'm thinking is a 'tic' is my head/neck jerking suddenly to the left and rolling/shrugging my shoulders. They don't have to happen at the same time, but can.  Some of the bigger 'tics' kind of jerk my arms, too.  It's not a violent enough jerk to hurt or anything, but it is noticable. Usually it happens when I'm sitting watching tv and just relaxing. It happens some when I'm in class, but by and large it doesn't.  I never really notice it happening when I'm busy working or focusing on things. It's hard to tell you specifics of when it occurs because I've just ignored it. I think it also may be triggered by temperature changes, kind of like a shiver up my back and into my neck. If I'm paying attention, I can tell when it's going to happen, and I can usually hold it off for awhile, but its just an urge to do it. Sometimes when I try to do it myself it doesn't alleaviate the urge, and I have to wait until it builds up more..for lack of a better way to explain it. I think it may be happening more than it used to, but again it's hard to say. I read though that tics can increase due to stress, and I do have a veryyyy stressful semester at college right now, and this (may?) have began about the same time I started college. I think it happens multiple times a day, pretty much whenever I sit down to relex. When it happens, usually it's a few time in a row and then stops for awhile. But overall it's just this funny feeling I get in my shoulders/neck, I have some what of a control on it happening but not really, it happens mostly when I'm just sitting doing nothing, and maybe more frequently when I'm cold or step into the sunshine.

So does it sound like a tic? If so, what does that mean for me? I don't think it's like tourette's or anything, and I don't really feel like anything needs to be done about it because it doesn't really bother me. I was just wanting it make sure it wasn't something more serious, and maybe any insight into why this happens?

Thanks!

[21687]

Hey dude, well all cases of Tourettes are different so its hard to tell, but it does sound like you could have it. Its unusual but Tourettes can emerge in late teens like me I started ticking when I was 16 and have not stopped my tics always change but am 19 and sadly still going! But go to the docs and see what they have to say, there are other disorders which also make you tic but Tourettes can definitely be an option as I found out.

[heyjude1]

It certainly sounds like some sort of neurological disorder but I had Tourette as a kid and my tics never stopped...they kept on ticking if I was walking ,talking or relaxing.  However, I am not a doctor and really don't know  about all the types of tics...maybe you shoud talk with a specialist.