Tourette Syndrome (or TS) is not your usual illness, as it is not an illness at all. Rather, it is a neurological disorder that is characterized by 'tics', which are sudden, repetitive movements, or vocalizations that occur in waves. TS itself is part of a spectrum of disorders. No person with TS ever has the same experience as the next person with the disorder.
A common misconception about TS is that any person with it just randomly shouts out swear words all the time, or gives rude gestures out of context. THIS IS WRONG! The expression of swear words and rude gestures are called Coprolalia and Copropraxia, respectively. These are actually quite rare symptoms that only occur in about 10-15% of people with TS. However, this has become very much a stereotype of TS because of it's social obscurity, and the need for media companies to entertain their audiences.
TS is a very complex disorder, and also very misunderstood. It is my goal to change this, so please read further if you are intrigued by this mysterious disorder.