They may also range in severity from minor and subtle, to multiple and severe. It is difficult to tell the what, when and why in the triggering of bouts, Hiott said. Sometimes moments of stress, anxiety, intense emotion and excitement can bring on a bout. Sometimes, just lying around in private can trigger one. They can appear for no reason at all.
Tics are also diverse in where they occur, anatomically.
Facial tics, such as rapid eye blinking or twitches of the mouth are common motor tics. Involuntary sounds, such as a constant clearing of the throat, sniffling, grunts and other indecipherable noises are common vocal tics. Another little known facet of the condition is that after many weeks and months of experiencing a tic on a regular basis, the tic will disappear and lay dormant for some period of time. Then later, they resurface as before or as another tic in a different part of the body. What TS is not, is the commonly stereotyped cursing disease.