Coprolalia is involuntary swearing that is an occasional but rare characteristic of Tourette syndrome patients. Coprolalia comes from the Greek word meaning "feces" and "babbling, meaningless talk". Coprolalia encompasses all words and phrases that are culturally taboo or generally unsuitable for acceptable social use. In Tourette's Syndrome, compulsive swearing can be completely uncontrollable due to the fact that TS is a disorder of disinhibition. The inability to control one's own vocalization can lead to the erosion of one's social and professional life.
This symptom affects less than 10% of people with Tourette's, but it tends to attract more attention than any other symptom. Like schizophrenia, it is often found in use as a clinomorphism, an altereation or amplification of a medical condition for dramatic effect. In the case of coprolalia, 'compulsive profanity' is typically clinomorphically referred to as being Tourette's syndrome.
Some patients have been treated by injecting botulinum toxin near the vocal cords. This does not prevent the vocalizations, but the partial paralysis that results helps to control the volume of any outbursts.
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