Tourette’s is a very personal subject for me. When I was around 8 years old, I developed symptoms of Tourette’s. Facial tics, alongside throat sounds and repetitive uncontrolled muscle tensing. This was accompanied by through-the-roof anxiety, the appearance of “checking” behaviours, insomnia and other fun neurological symptoms.
Being the 1980s, not much was done. In those days you were much more likely to just be seen as ‘quirky’ and left to get on with it. I was one of the lucky ones who’s symptoms subsided over time, although even in adulthood, I can notice remnants of these childhood tics return in times of stress, or bizarrely when I’m around someone else with tics. I was fascinated to see this “mirroring” phenomenon in the documentary Let me Entertain You, about Tourette’s sufferers forming a band, aired on the BBC in 2012.
Going on to study various aspects of physiology, neuropsychology, nutrition and homeopathy, I have thought a great deal over the years as to possible causes of this syndrome. In my own case, symptoms appeared shortly after an operation to remove my adenoids, where broad-spectrum antibiotics were de rigour following the op. I also developed asthma at this time and started on inhalers and steroids.
From a mainstream medicine point of view, the cause of Tourette’s is unknown. From my own experiences, and from experience gained working with children with various types of tics, I believe Tourette’s is just another man-made disorder due to toxic overload. Some important ‘causal’ factors are:
- High Antibiotic use during early childhood (and therefore imbalance of pathogenic bacteria and parasites in the gut)
- Vaccination
- Poor liver function
- Fungal overgrowths (candida) causing mineral/vitamin deficiencies
- dental amalgam exposures
- other neurotoxic exposures (e.g. pesticides)
Treatment
Homeopathic treatment of Tourette’s looks at the WHOLE story. Together, we examine the timeline of your child’s health, and look for possible ROOT CAUSE. I work by:
- Taking a very detailed case history, closely examine the period of onset of symptoms, possible triggers, concomitant symptoms;
- Making a “timeline” of possible toxic exposures, and systematically detoxifying them using homeopathic preparations;
- Supporting the nervous system, guts, and detox organs with dietary and supplement advice alongside homeopathic preparations;
- Addressing any psychological problems that may be associated with having Tourette’s syndrome.
I am currently offering 2 FREE CONSULTATIONS inclusive of homeopathic preparations to the first 6 parents who an interest. I am happy to have an informal chat on Skype if you wish to know more about how I work.
Contact me on at annaraynerhomeopath@gmail.com if you would like to set up a meeting.
