What it is
Premonitory urge is the uncomfortable sensory or mental urge experienced before a tic in Tourette syndrome or chronic tic disorders — often described as an itch, tension, or pressure relieved by the tic.
Emerging evidence
Premonitory Urge
An uncomfortable sensory or mental urge that builds before a tic and is temporarily relieved by performing the tic.
CategoryNeurological
Reviewed by Gyfts Editorial Team · Editorial Health Review
26 March 2026
At a glance
Premonitory Urge at a glance
Commonly experienced as
- People describe a building internal pressure — like the feeling before a sneeze — that requires release through the tic. Many can suppress the tic temporarily but the urge intensifies until release.
