Tremor
Tremor is a neurological disorder that causes unintentional and uncontrollable movement. It may occur in any part of your body at any time. It is usually the result of a problem in the part of your brain that controls muscular movement.
Tremor is divided into two types:
Resting tremors occurs if you are sitting or lying still. When you start moving around, you will notice that the tremor goes away. This type of tremor often affects only the fingers or hands.
Action tremors happen during the movement of the affected body part.
- Isometric tremors happen during the voluntary shriveling of a muscle without another movement of the muscle.
- Kinetic tremors occur during the movement of a body part, such as moving your wrist.
- Task-specific tremors occur during a specific activity, such as writing.
- The postural tremor happens when holding a position against gravity such as leg outstretched or holding your arm.
- Intention tremor occurs throughout targeted movements, such as moving your finger to your nose.
What causes Tremor?
Tremors can be caused by a variety of things including:
- Caffeine
- Injuries
- Disease
- Prescription medications
The most common causes of Tremors are:
- Low blood sugar levels
- Aging
- Stress
- Ingesting too much caffeine
- Muscle fatigue
Medical conditions that may cause Tremors may include:
- Alcoholism
- Stroke
- Traumatic brain injury
- Hyperthyroidism
- Multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
Some tremors may be triggered by or worsen during times of stress or strong emotion or when an individual is making certain movements or in certain postures. Tremor may also occur when a person is physically exhausted.
Signs and Symptoms of Tremor
- Problems holding and controlling utensils
- Difficulty drawing or writing
- Shaky voice
- A rhythmic shaking in the head, arms, hands, legs, or torso
Risk Factors of Having Tremor
People with Parkinson’s disease usually experience a tremor at some point in the disease. Even though Tremor is one of the most troublesome symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, it seems to be slightly less common in younger people.
Safety Precautions
- Avoid caffeine
There is a high risk of increasing the tremor if you had too much caffeine or other stimulants.
- Use alcohol carefully
Several people know that their tremors improve to some extent after they drink alcohol. However, drinking alcohol is not a good solution. It tends to worsen once the effects of alcohol wear off.
- Make lifestyle changes
Use the less affected hand more often. Find ways to avoid using the most affected hand more often.
- Learn to relax
Being relaxed may improve tremors. Anxiety and stress tend to make tremors worse. Even though you can’t remove all stress from your life, you can change how you react to stressful circumstances using a range of relaxation techniques, such as meditation or massage.
Treating Tremor
- Physical therapy may help improve your coordination and strengthen your muscles. The use of adaptive devices and wrist weights, such as heavier utensils, may also help relieve tremors.
- Botox injections may relieve tremors. It is frequently given to individuals who have tremors that affect the head and face.
- Brain stimulation operation can be the only choice for those with tremors. Throughout this operation, the doctor inserts an electrical probe into a certain part of your brain accountable for the tremors.
Medications for Tremor
- Propranolol, Sotalol, Atenolol, Nadolol, and Metoprolol
These are a beta-blocker drug that is usually used for the treatment of high blood pressure. This medicine can be used in some people with tremors and other types of action tremors.
This is an anti-seizure medication that can be effective in people with tremors who do not respond to beta-blockers.
- Clonazepam and Alprazolam
These are benzodiazepines that may temporarily help some people with tremors.
These are Parkinson’s disease medications that are used to treat tremors associated with the disease.