Essential tremor is a nervous system dysfunction that triggers involuntary and rhythmic trembling. It may impact just about any area of the body, however, the shaking arises frequently in your hands and fingers, particularly when you are doing basic tasks, like drinking or tying shoelaces.

Essential tremor is generally not a deadly ailment, nevertheless, it worsens with time and can be intense in certain individuals. Other ailments don't lead to essential tremor, however, essential tremor is oftentimes mistaken for Parkinson's disease.

Essential tremor can happen at any age although is quite common in individuals aged forty and older. It starts slowly and is typically more prominently on a single area of the body. It becomes worse with activity. Typically it occurs in the hands and fingers initially, impacting one hand or both hands. It may include a "yes-yes" or "no-no" movement of the head. It can be aggravated by psychological stress, exhaustion, caffeine, or temperature extremes.

Occupational therapists often recommend adaptive equipment to minimize the effect of tremors on your lifestyle, including heavier cups and utensils, hand weights, and larger, heavier writing instruments, like wide-grip pencils. For our patients suffering from essential tremor, we have incorporated two innovations, one from Lithuania and the other from Italy. The former involves holding a vibrating ball, which is programmed to cancel out tremors in muscles. The latter uses electrical stimulation over the spinal column in an attempt to cancel out the signals generated in the spinal cord that are responsible for the involuntary muscle contraction that produces the tremor.



By Dr. George Kukurin