Essential tremor
If you've ever felt the frustration of your hands shaking while trying to drink a cup of coffee or write your name—you know how tough it can be.
Essential tremor, the most common movement disorder, affects up to 10 million Americans—eight times more than Parkinson’s disease. It can appear at any age, causing involuntary, rhythmic muscle contractions that make daily tasks difficult and take an emotional toll. Because essential tremor isn’t caused by other diseases, it can be challenging to diagnose.
HonorHealth’s neurologists specialize in movement disorders and take a collaborative approach to your care. By working closely with you and a team of specialists, we will assess your unique needs and develop a personalized treatment plan designed to reduce or eliminate your symptoms, helping you regain control and improve your quality of life.
Causes and diagnosis
The causes of essential tremor are not fully understood, but several factors may contribute:
- Genetics (familial tremor is present in about half of cases, with a family history increasing your risk)
- Medication side effects
- Hyperthyroidism
- Abnormal brain activity (imaging has shown irregularities in the thalamus, a brain region controlling muscle movement)
A thorough family history and evaluation by a movement disorders specialist help identify potential causes, as further research is needed to fully understand these causes.
Symptoms
In its early stages, essential tremor typically presents as hand shaking, with mild difficulty holding small objects steady. Tremors may also affect the head, neck and face, and your voice might sound shaky. Some individuals experience tremors only in certain postural positions, known as "postural tremor."
As the condition progresses, tremors may worsen during voluntary movements, such as eating or writing, referred to as "kinetic tremor." Most people with essential tremor experience both postural and kinetic tremors. Over time, symptoms can become more severe and debilitating, interfering with daily activities.
Treatment
When essential tremor gets in the way of your daily routine, a long-term treatment plan is necessary. Many patients with mild to moderate tremor respond to medication, but for more severe cases, a variety of treatment options are available:
- Deep brain stimulation is an effective treatment. A neurosurgeon implants wires in your brain to block signals from your thalamus. The electrical current can be adjusted based on tremor severity, and a movement disorders specialist programs the impulse generator, with adjustments made without further surgery.
- Drug therapies for essential tremor often include beta blockers, which have been used for decades. These medications work by blocking nerve impulses in muscles, helping to reduce tremors. However, they do not fully eliminate tremors, and side effects can include a slowed heart rate and fatigue.
- Focused ultrasound therapy is a noninvasive technology that uses multiple ultrasound beams to precisely target and ablate (remove) tissue in your brain to reduce essential tremor. By avoiding damage to surrounding tissue, it improves your quality of life while reducing tremors and healthcare costs.
At HonorHealth, we understand the impact essential tremor can have on your life. Our expert team will partner with you to create a personalized treatment plan, offering options like deep brain stimulation and focused ultrasound to help reduce tremors and improve your quality of life. Together, we'll empower you to take control and feel your best.