Overcoming the Essential Tremors in Your Hands

Medically, they are ironically termed essential tremors, but they are really nonessential to good living

If you get complaint of signature irregularity each time you append your signature on a document, particularly bank instruments or you no longer able to maintain stability of your hand while holding cups, cutleries, other items including pen, which worsens your hand legibility, you may be suffering from Essential Tremor, a nervous system neurological condition that causes involuntary shaking or trembling of the dominant hand whenever it is doing a simple task like drinking from a cup, applying paste on toothbrush, tying shoelaces, and or holding tools and utensils.

Source: Caring News

 Essential Tremor (ET) Not Parkinson

Medical experts and journals say Essential Tremor is not life- threatening but has the capacity to make life extremely difficult, as simple daily routines are hampered. Mayo clinic Newsletter says Essential Tremor is usually not a dangerous condition, but it typically worsens over time and can be severe in some people. People often confuse ET symptoms with Parkinson disease, another neurological disorder that makes hands to tremble while at rest position, it isn’t because ET trembling and shaking of hand happen when hand is in action.

Essential Tremor can affect other parts of the body, mainly the head and the voice but its more common and pronounce in the hands. Parkinson tremor, on the other hand, usually starts from the hands and progresses to affect legs, chin and other part of the body

While Essential Tremor may not cause other health problems, Parkinson’s disease, according to medical experts, is associated with stooped posture, slow movement and shuffling gait.

Medical experts also say ET can occur at any age but most common in people at age 40 and above.

(Let me crave your indulgence to limit this ET discussion to trembling & shaking of hand in action).

Imagine the consequences if, at premium productivity age, your hand writing becomes illegible; hand no longer able to hold and grip tools and utensils; attending social functions, to build up social net worth, suddenly becomes challenging because of fright to hold cutlery and glass cup; ET at any age is definitely not palatable talk less of premium productivity age. The socio- economic & psycho impacts of Essential Tremor could be very devastating. So, how could sufferers cope with shaking hands?

Before we go into the coping strategy, let’s look at the prevalence of ET to appreciate the magnitude of Essential Tremor Incidence; as well as review the basic symptoms; causes and risk factors.

Prevalence

A research report in the Journal of Global Health asserted that global prevalence of ET increased dramatically with advancing age; According to the report, while the prevalence estimate in people aged under 20 years was 0.04% that of the elderly aged 80 years and above was 2.87%.

Same research also concluded that more males suffer ET than females. According to the report, the global prevalence of Essential Tremor estimate was 24.91million among whom 56% were males.

Essential tremor (ET) is more prevalent than Parkinson’s disease. A US National Library of Medicine report says no world population is immune to ET.  According to the report, the age- and gender-adjusted prevalence of ET is estimated to be 3 to 4 per 1000, with an annual incidence of 23.7 per 100,000. The incidence of ET rises with increasing age.  Approximately 4% of adults 40 years of age and older are affected by ET.

A study published by BMC Neurology titled Prevalence of essential tremor in urban Lagos, Nigeria, noted a prevalence rate of 12/1000 population. Prevalence increased with advancing age from no cases documented in those below 15 years (0) and the highest rates in those between 75 and 84 years 473.7/1000

Signs & Symptoms

Typically, everybody feels some form of tremors in parts of the body during or after some activities, particularly in the hands when they are stretched out straight from the body, such tremors are normal. They are not very noticeable or feasible. But, like our people say, “when a handshake goes beyond the elbow, we know that it has turned to another thing”. Tremors that cause involuntary rhythmic shaking of the hand(s) in action is abnormal. It is Essential Tremor. The following are the symptoms.

• Tremors occur when you move but less noticeable when you rest.
• Tremors occur after taken certain medicines and caffeine.
• Tremors may improve or aggravate with ingestion of a small amount of alcohol (such as wine).
• Tremors get worse as you age.
• Tremors don’t affect both sides of your body in the same way.
• Tremors that are most obvious in your hands
• Difficulty doing tasks with your hands, such as writing or using tools
• In rare instances, tremors in your legs or feet
• Tremors begin gradually, usually more prominently on one side of the body
• Worsen with movement
• Usually occur in the hands first, affecting one hand or both hands
• Tremors aggravation by emotional stress, fatigue, caffeine or temperature extremes
• Eat normally (Severe: difficulty in hand and wrist coordination)
• Put on makeup or shave (Severe: difficulty in hand and wrist coordination)

Causes & risk Factors

Medical experts and journals say tremors generally result from neurological conditions like Multiple Sclerosis that may damage nerves in the pathways of the central nervous system that control movement and or distort communication between the brain and the nerves. Other causes of tremors include stroke, traumatic brain injury and Parkinson disease.

The cause of Essential Tremors according to medical reports is essentially genetics. A defective gene from just one parent is enough to pass on ET. Experts say if you have a parent with a genetic mutation for essential tremor, you have a 50 percent chance of developing the disorder yourself. This why medical experts call it autosomal dominant disorder.

Researchers in National Institute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke (NINDS) US are suggesting a link between essential tremor and possible genetic variants on chromosome 6 and 11.

Other health and lifestyle issues that can cause shaky hands include:

• Depression
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Stress/ Anxiety/ Panic
• Alcohol Abuse & Withdrawal
• Drug Abuse & Withdrawal
• Caffeine
• Thyroid disease
• Liver & Kidney issues
• Medication: Drugs for treatment of certain psychiatric and neurological disorders, asthma,
• Toxins / poisoning

Management / Coping

Living with Essential Tremor can be devastating as patients see their personal life limited due to loss of controlled movement and manual dexterity. The feelings of embarrassment may lead to restrictions on social-economic activities.

Medical and pharmacology advancements are providing succor to help ET patients, particularly those with severe cases, live a normal life via various medications that are mainly prescription drugs and surgery. For proper diagnosis and appropriate management procedure consult your doctor.

Physical Therapy

But there are physical therapies available to manage and cope with Essential Tremor. International Essential Tremor Foundation (IETF) says key to reduce ET lies in exercise for relaxation and strength. There are many methods to calm our tremor through relaxation. According to the Foundation, the natural body cycle is a process of “tense and relax.” When we exert more tension than relaxation, our bodies are out of balance resulting to tremor. The following exercises can reduce tremor in the body:

-Shoulder Shrugs

-Shoulder Rotation

– Head Turning

-Arm Turning Start:

– Hand Tightening & Relaxing

-Waist Bend & Head Release

-Wrist Circle Rotators

– Wrist Table Stretch

– Ear to Shoulder

– Face Stretch:

– Face Stretch:

– Hip Tilt

– Chest/Shoulder/Arm/Wrist Stretch

– Neck/Head Stretch

– Stretch of Life: Back & Leg Stretch

– Trunk Twist:

– Leg Bend & Stretch

These exercises can relax muscles and reduce tremor. Some exercises, such as yoga reduces the level of stress in the body.

Another exercise is Resistance training where muscles are worked against an external form of resistance such as weight or large rubber bands. RT increases muscle strength, tone and even endurance. It improves dexterity and steadiness for essential tremor.

Source: womenrunning.com

 Lifestyle Tips

Essential Tremor caused by an underlining health condition will subside once the ailment is cured. If the ET is a side effect of medications, physicians can help to change the drug. But if it is as a result of personal lifestyle, change becomes inevitable.

• Find ways to reduce stress and relax.
• Avoid alcohol consumption.
• Ask your doctor about whether you should take a small dose of medication, such as a beta-blocker, before a social outing in order to minimize tremors.
• Ask your doctor about briefly discontinuing certain prescriptions right before you attend social events. Some medications, like thyroid or asthma treatments, may aggravate tremors.
• Avoid caffeine, which may be found in sodas, coffee, or other drinks/foods.
• Place a napkin between a cup and a saucer to prevent the cup from rattling.
• Avoid uncomfortable postures and actions.
• Add a small amount of weight to your wrist by wearing a heavy bracelet or watch, or by holding something in your hand. The weight may reduce some tremors and restore more control to your hands.
• Drink beverages from half-filled cups or glasses; use a straw.
• Get enough rest and sleep as fatigue may make tremors worse.
• No anxiety
• Avoid Stress
• Relax
• Stop drug abuse

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