Up to 25 percent of all children contend with the embarrassing annoyance of facial tics. This problem can best be described as a repetitive, continual spasm that affects both facial and eye muscles. The exact etiology is usually undefined, even though research shows a significant connection between stressors and an increase in severity of symptoms.



Another explanation for the development of tics is deficiencies in essential vitamins or minerals, including magnesium. Some types of facial tics are symptomatic of nervous system disorders, including Tourette syndrome, a health condition arising from a dysfunction of the nervous system. Tourette syndrome is thought to contain a genetic component as well.

Some examples of a facial tic include rapid eye movements or eye blinking, squinting, mouth or nose wrinkeling, twitching, grunting, mouth twitches, facial grimacing, facial twitches, and throat clearing. A tic often begins in the early developmental years, and can last for only a few weeks or for several years. Sometimes, the disorder persists into adulthood.

Facial tics can perpetuate and increase anxiety levels in a child whose stress levels are already high as a result of the tic itself. Children's playmates are sometimes extremely cruel, making fun of the child's problem. Further, educators who fail to understand and are unable to aid other students to understand and assist the child in overcoming his difficulty can have a devastating effect on a child's self-esteem.

This issue, however, is not relevant only to the affected child. Adults who are affected by a facial tic encounter significant challenges in managing this problem. These persons often struggle with overwhelming social difficulties. In some situations, a person can develop the ability to recognize the onset and supersede the spasm that initiates the facial tic. Even this, however, can result in intense emotional and physical energy drains. Low self-esteem is often a major issue with which these people wrestle. Often, these individuals struggle with low self-esteem.

Grownups who obtain relief from the painful effects of facial grimaces and other tics can experience social rebirth. Their view of themselves is altered, and they no longer are afraid to experience life at its fullest. Children who overcome the effects of this condition experience freedom the acute emotional pain that hinders their social lives, and experience childhood with joy rather than psychic pain.

At times, medications, such as mildly sedating drugs, can help treat this problem. While the medications may lessen the incidence of these symptoms, the drugs themselves can often cause adverse effects. For this reason, persons sometimes rely on alternative therapies to help them in treating their problem.

Two treatment approaches that have offered promising potential in assisting people to successfully manage facial tics are hypnotherapy and NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). Both of these therapies utilize the power inherent in the individual's unconscious mind to assist them redirect the repetitive behavior. Because these therapies address the source of the problem through intervening in the unconscious where the problem originates, they offer significantly more hope for success than traditional therapy methods that only attempt to control eye blinking, mouth twitches, squinting, facial grimacing, facial twitches, grunting, or other types of impulsive behavior.

Hypnosis permits the person being treated to achieve a peaceful altered state and accept suggestions that assist them to release stress. Because tics are a result of built-up stress within a person's body, release of the tension helps them to successfully manage this behavior. After several sessions, the client should be capable of experience the ability to handle tension successfully.

Alternatively, therapists who employ NLP assist the client to train his or her conscious will to use thoughts that stress them as triggers for thoughts that will relax them. Additionally, the person learns to use a non-related body part, such as a toe, to rechannel the stress that would have previously been expressed by the facial tic. Through the use of this technique allows individuals to overcome tension without relying on the humiliating behavior.

Another positive effect of these two therapies is that the person being treated does not experience adverse effects from medication type therapies. In fact, both hypnotherapy and NLP are typically considered to be the primary treatment for individuals who cope with tics, such as nose wrinkeling, or throat clearing, because these interventions do not have unwanted side effects. This relieves significant pain and stress for the sufferer.

Summary: Facial tics are often socially damaging and can result in extreme consequences. Male children are more likely to experience this problem, which can persist into adulthood; however girls may also experience difficulties with this. Although several treatment methods are available, hypnosis and NLP seem to be the safest treatments, because they have no problematic side effects and are very efficacious.