What Should You Know About Tremors?
Tremors stem from a neurological disorder that causes your hands or other parts of your body to shake rhythmically. The most common such condition is called essential tremor disorder, which in some cases, causes prominent hand shaking alongside voice, head, and trunk tremors. Generally, the symptoms get worse during movement and can lower your quality of life. They also tend to worsen and become more prominent and frequent with age. Fortunately, a New York tremors specialist offers a solution.
Essential Tremor
Essential tremor or ET – the most common trembling disorder – is a neurological condition that causes your head, hands, legs, or voice to shake rhythmically. Without proper diagnosis, it can be confused with Parkinson’s disease because the two share several symptoms. It is more prevalent among people above the age of 65 but can affect people of any age.
Generally, every person experiences a small degree of tremor, but it is usually unseen and unfelt because the tremor is very small. You have essential tremor when your tremor is noticeable and causes symptoms that affect your quality of life.
What Causes Essential Tremor?
Currently, the cause of essential tremors is unknown, but most experts agree on a genetic component. In most cases, the disorder is seen to pass down from parent to child, especially if the parent’s parents have ET. In fact, such a situation creates a 50 percent chance of gene inheritance.
Besides genetics, a prevailing theory suggests that tremors are caused by a miscommunication between the cerebellum and other parts of the brain. The cerebellum is responsible for muscle coordination.
Symptoms of Essential Tremor
The most prominent symptom of ET is shaking and trembling. In most cases, the tremors occur when the person is moving and recede when they rest. They can also be worsened by certain medications and improved by consuming small amounts of alcohol. It is also true that they worsen with age and don’t affect both sides of the body similarly. Other symptoms are:
- You might have trouble using your hands to use tools, write, type, etc.
- The voice might shake or quiver while speaking
- Most obvious tremors occur in the hands
- Leg or feet tremors (rare)
- Uncontrollable head-nodding
How Are Tremors Treated?
The most effective way to treat tremors is to identify the underlying cause and address it. Your physician will usually perform a comprehensive physical exam, carry out tests, nerve studies, and imaging studies, and review your medical history. Depending on their results, they may then prescribe some medication or recommend deep brain stimulation. This is where electrical impulses are sent to specific areas of your brain through a tiny implanted device.
Your physician may also recommend physical therapy to help improve your function and movement and reduce any pain and discomfort.
Lifestyle Changes
Some lifestyle modifications could help improve your outlook and reduce your tremors. They include:
- Staying away from stressful environments and situations
- Avoiding caffeine and alcohol
- Adopting relaxation techniques like deep breathing and yoga
Conclusion
Tremors stem from neurological and neuromuscular disorders that interfere with your movements. While they are rarely life-threatening, they can prevent you from engaging in certain tasks and lower your quality of life. The New York Neurology Associates team understands the toll tremors can have on your day-to-day life and is ready to offer you high-quality treatment. Contact us by visiting the offices today.