Common Causes and Treatments of Hand Tremors

Hand tremors may not be uncommon, especially amongst older individuals, but it can have a significant impact on our daily lives. After all, it can be more than a little challenging to achieve our duties and responsibilities with shaky hands. And while age is undeniably a factor in its existence, this movement disorder can also be an effect or a symptom of a much more severe condition, depending on its severity.

In this article, we will look into what the common triggers are for this involuntary muscle contraction as well as ways in which to overcome the challenges that it presents, if not treat the condition completely.

What Causes Shaky Hands?

While there are a variety of different health conditions that can be responsible for shaky hands, in many cases, movement disorders and neurological diseases can cause tremors.

· Essential Tremor. Despite how typical essential tremors are, the cause for this movement disorder is still not understood. Genetics is widely believed to be one of the primary sources for the condition. And the symptoms tend to present on either side of the body, and the uncontrollable shaking gradually builds up and worsens over time or during times of movement and stress. It can be treated with medication, therapy, and in severe cases, surgery such as deep brain stimulation or focused ultrasound like Neuravive.

· Dystonic Tremor. Individuals who have dystonia have overactive muscular and undesired movements due to incorrect messages sent from the brain. Dystonic tremors are often found in both young adults as well as people in their middle age.

· Multiple Sclerosis. The majority of people afflicted with MS or multiple sclerosis usually suffer from varying degrees of tremor due to the damage that the condition causes to the pathways of the area of the nervous system that is in control of movement.

· Parkinson’s. Over twenty-five percent of individuals who have from Parkinson’s usually have hand tremors. Not unlike ET or essential tremors, the uncontrollable shaking tends to start on a single side of the body before spreading to the other.

What Else Can Cause Hand Tremors?

Apart from the conditions listed above, hand tremors can also be caused by the following:

· Psychiatric problems like post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety and depression
· Degenerative diseases that are inherited like Ataxia
· Alcohol and drug abuse

How can we Minimize or Stop its Effects?

There are a variety of different ways to treat hand tremors like medication and surgery. Once the underlying condition is treated, the symptoms should also subside. Listed below are other strategies that may help.

· Change in lifestyle. There’s no denying that our lifestyles play a critical role in our health and well-being. And by eating a healthy and balanced diet, adopting a regular exercise routine, and limiting alcohol consumption as well as avoiding tobacco products can go a long way in keeping us from having hand tremors.

· Physical therapy. Another way to adapt to the condition is by pursuing physical therapy. After all, it can help us improve both muscle control and coordination while strengthening our balance. And this can help us live with the tremors without pursuing any major surgeries or medications.

In most cases, hand tremors do little more than serving as a mild nuisance. However, if it becomes too severe, it can hinder us from doing many different activities. And as a result, lower our quality of life. But by consulting with your doctor as early as possible, you’ll be able to find a way to keep its effects at a minimum, if not eliminate the existence of the tremors completely.

Thanks to Mildred Austria