Types of tic

Tics can be put into different categories.

Simple/complex
Simple tics are smaller, usually brief, meaningless.

Complex tics are larger tics with apparent purpose/meaning, usually of longer duration. Some types of complex tics have special names:


 * Echopraxia
 * Palipraxia
 * Copropraxia
 * Echolalia
 * Palipraxia
 * Copropraxia

Motor/vocal
Motor tics are tic involving movement of any part of the body except the larynx (and some say the diaphragm and throat.

Vocal tics are 'sound' tics involving the larynx (and some say the diaphragm and throat).

Clonic/tonic/dystonic (of motor tics)
Clonic tics are sudden jerks of a muscle or limb.

Tonic tics involve the tensing of muscles.

Dystonic tics movements which are held in place, often with a twisting motion.