What are Eye Tics?
Eye tics are rapid, repeated and involuntary movements of various muscles surrounding the eye. These excessive motor movements may vary from mild and barely noticeable, to more severe cases where they may actually begin to interfere with normal visual functioning, and may affect other areas of life such as self-confidence.
Eye tics must be differentiated from eye twitches which are often less noticeable and generally affect only a small bundle of muscle fibers, as opposed to the whole muscle which is characteristic of an eye tic.
What Causes Eye Tics?
Eye tics are an involuntary and unwelcomed muscular action that can become very frustrating. Many people can suppress the tics for a short while; however this can be difficult and it usually does not last long. The severity and duration of the tics often depends on the cause, and in some cases eye tics will come and go, or disappear all together without apparent reason.
The most common cause of eye tics can be attributed to a tic disorder such as Tourette’s syndrome; however other causes may include the following:
- Stress or anxiety
- Extreme fatigue
- Side-effects from some medications such as Ritalin, Dexedrine, and Adderall
- Withdrawals from medications such as benzodiazepine
- Infections of the brain such as encephalitis
- Neurological conditions
- Magnesium deficiency
Help for Eye Tics
Natural Remedies
There are a number of herbal and homeopathic ingredients that can help to reduce or end bothersome excessive blinking and eye tics. One useful herbal ingredient is Hyoscyamus which has powerful antispasmodic properties and is often used to soothe nervous irritations. This ingredient is often used to treat tics and has also been used to help alleviate the symptoms of conditions such as Tourette’s syndrome and Parkinson’s disease.
The homeopathic ingredient Zinc met is also highly recommended as it not only supports the immune system, and aids in the absorption of minerals in the body, it is also excellent at soothing the nervous system and relieving muscle spasms and fidgety movements, especially those related to exhaustion and stress. Cina is also excellent for relieving twitching and muscle spasms while Chamomilla is very soothing and can help to relive underlying stress and restlessness.
