Life-altering tremors

MANY people notice a shake or tremor in their hands every once in a while which can be exaggerated by stress, hunger and tiredness.

This is completely normal and is considered as physiological and benign. Some associate shakes with Parkinson’s disease and its complications which in turn increase stress and can worsen symptoms.

There are many causes of tremors, most are benign, most can be treated easily, but some can be chronic and life-altering.

Tremors are defined as a repetitive, involuntary shaking of a body part, most commonly the hands or head. It can be an isolated problem and a disorder on its own or part of a bigger health problem.

There are several causes for tremors, identifying the type of tremor will help in diagnosing it. One can divide them into three types based on when they occur.

* Resting tremors – They happen while you are sitting or lying down. It usually occurs when the person is relaxed. If this is the tremor you suffer from, you can notice that it stops as soon as you move the affected part of the body.

* Postural tremors – They happen when you try to hold a body part still, against the force of gravity. For example, holding your arms up in front of you or carrying a heavy bag of groceries.

* Action tremors – They happen when you move deliberately. For example, drawing or writing with a pen.

The first step towards identifying the cause of a tremor is finding out what type it is. Does it occur during rest, movement or exertion against pressure?

Resting tremors are caused by multiple health problems. Most commonly, it is caused by Parkinson’s disease. If that is the cause, your doctor will prescribe you medications to treat Parkinson’s disease and in turn treat the tremors. You may also notice that as Parkinson’s disease worsens, the tremor will also occur with movement. Other causes of resting tremor include tremors secondary to brain strokes or Wilson’s disease (disease of storage of copper in the body).

Postural and action tremors (tremors that occur during movement) are caused by multiple health problems.

The commonest and most benign type is physiological. This could be related to stress, fevers, over-active thyroid, or fatigue after a tough workout and excess alcohol ingestion. Some medications can also cause this kind of tremor including anti-nausea and some psychiatric medications.

The good thing about physiological tremors is that as soon as the culprit is identified and treated, the tremors usually resolve.

Another cause is essential which is not linked to another health problem. The cause is unknown, however, it is benign and runs in families.

This tremor most commonly affects the arms and hands usually one side more than the other. It is also frequently called a ‘benign’ tremor because it does not usually affect your ability to perform your daily activities. However, it can be very severe that it causes serious limitations in lifestyle. Other causes include strokes in the back of the brain (cerebellum) and there are disorders affecting the nerve connections in the body.

Tremors, although usually very common and benign, can be serious sometimes. The underlying cause should always be sought out and treated.

Do not wait too long to seek medical attention. As mentioned, anxiety and stress about your condition can worsen the symptoms.

In the coming few articles, I will concentrate on Parkinson’s disease; its diagnosis, management and coping methods.