What is Tourette's and how does it affect people?

Lewis Capaldi has decided to take a break from touring to adjust to his Tourette's diagnosis after struggling to perform at Glastonbury festival.

In September last year, the 26-year-old confirmed in an Instagram live video that he had been diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome.

The star said his performance at Glastonbury at the weekend made it “obvious that I need to spend much more time getting my mental and physical health in order, so I can keep doing everything I love for a long time to come.”

The Scottish singer told his Twitter and Instagram followers that he was taking a break for the “foreseeable future”.

What is Tourette’s syndrome?

Tourette’s syndrome (TS) is a neurological condition that causes you to make involuntary movements and sounds called tics.

Motor tics might include eye blinking, neck and head jerks, and arm and leg movements, while vocal tics might include throat clearing, repeating words or phrases, stuttering and grunting.

What are the common misconceptions of the condition?

A lot of people think that those with TS are prone to swearing.

This is one of the possible vocal tics, but only 10% of people with the syndrome do it.

The clinical term for that, coprolalia, is something some people with Tourette's experience, but is not one of the most common.

What causes the condition?

There isn’t much scientific evidence on what really causes the disorder.

However, it is thought to be related with brain abnormalities – specifically an imbalance in the function of neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin.

Some structures in the parts of the brain appear to be different in people with TS.

Disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can be co-occurring conditions and are deeply connected with TS.

How do you become diagnosed?

There isn’t a single test to detect TS.

But if you have had several of the common TS tics for around one year, your GP may refer you to a specialised doctor, such as a neurologist, to make a firm diagnosis.

A tic might appear suddenly and last only for a few weeks or months, in which case you wouldn’t be considered as having the disorder.

Can people with the condition control their tics?

Tics are involuntary and hard to control.

They are preceded by a premonitory urge, compared to the need to itch or sneeze, that can be distressful.

People with TS feel the need to perform a tic multiple times in order to reduce this urge.

Is there a cure for the condition?

There is no cure for TS.

Most people who have the syndrome do not need any treatment, and can learn how to control tics with the help of a specialist.

The most common treatment involves behavioural therapy to reduce tics and manage emotional stability.

Medicine can be used in instances where the tics are more severe or visibly harmful.

How does it affect people?

Most tics aren’t harmful to the person’s general health. However, things like head shaking can cause stress, anxiety and headaches.

Anger, stress and exhaustion are also common characteristics of the disorder.

Who has Tourette's?

The condition is estimated to affect one school child in every hundred and is more common among boys - with males about three to four time more likely to develop Tourette's than females.

Tics typically show up between the ages of two and 15, with the average being around six-years-old.

Sometimes children can have Tourette's when they are young and see a significant reduction in their symptoms as they grow into adults.

Others experience symptoms throughout their life, but specific tics can come and go.

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