Identify the causes and the right way to deal with tremors

You may have felt your hands, head, or other limbs suddenly tremble or shake. If so, at that time you may be experiencing tremors in that limb. So, what exactly does tremor mean and what is the cause of this condition? Is this condition dangerous for your health? Check out the following reviews for complete information.

What is tremor?

Tremors are rhythmic (rhythmic) muscle contractions that are involuntary or uncontrollable and cause shaking movements in one or more parts of the body. This movement disorder occurs most often in the hands. However, arms, legs, head, body, and even voice can also vibrate uncontrollably.

These shaking movements may come and go constantly, which happen by themselves. In this condition, tremors are not dangerous and do not indicate a serious medical condition.

However, this shaking movement can make you uncomfortable, even making it difficult to do daily activities, such as writing, walking, drinking from a glass, and so on. In fact, in severe conditions, tremors can worsen and become a sign or symptom of other diseases.

Tremors are most common in middle-aged and older adults. However, tremors can also be experienced at all ages, including children, both men and women. In certain conditions, tremors can also be passed from parent to child with a 50 percent possible risk.

Various causes of tremors that you may experience

Common causes of tremors are problems with the parts of the brain that control muscles or movement throughout the body, or only certain parts of the body muscles, such as the hands or feet. In most types, the exact cause of the loss of movement control is unknown. However, some types of this condition can occur due to heredity.

In addition, as reported by the NHS, in conditions that are not severe, shaking hands, head, or other limbs often occur due to factors of increasing age or when stressed, tired, anxious, and angry. This condition is also common after you consume caffeinated drinks (tea, coffee, or soda) or smoke and if you feel extremely hot or cold.

In severe conditions, shaking can also be caused by other conditions or as a symptom of certain diseases, especially disorders related to the nervous system. Here are some of these conditions and diseases:

• Neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, stroke, and traumatic brain injury.
• Use of certain drugs, such as asthma drugs, amphetamines, caffeine, corticosteroids, and drugs used for certain psychiatric and neurological disorders.
• Alcohol abuse or mercury poisoning.
• Hyperthyroidism, which is a condition when the thyroid gland is overactive.
• Liver failure or kidney failure.

Types of tremor

Tremors have several types depending on when the shaking occurred and the cause or origin of the condition. The following are the types of tremors based on the time they occur:

• Resting tremors, namely the condition of the body shaking that occurs when resting or in a relaxed state, such as when the hands rest on the lap. This type of shaking often attacks the hands or fingers and generally occurs in people with Parkinson's disease.
• Action tremor, which occurs when a person is doing certain body movements. Most of the body trembling occurs into this type.

Meanwhile, the types of tremors based on the cause or origin are:

• Essential tremor, is the type that occurs most often. This condition is usually felt in the hands, but can also occur on the head, tongue, and feet. The cause is unknown, but this condition is believed to be related to heredity.
• Physiological tremors, is the kind that can happen to healthy people. This condition is not considered a disease, but is a normal phenomenon resulting from rhythmic activity in the body, such as heart rate and muscle activity.
• Dystonic tremor, is a type that often occurs in people who experience dystonia, which is a disorder of muscle contraction. This can affect any muscle in the body and and usually causes rotating and repetitive movements.
• Cerebellar tremor, characterized by slow shaking, which is usually caused by damage to the cerebellum (cerebellum) due to multiple sclerosis, brain tumor, or stroke.
• Parkinson's tremor, is a common symptom of Parkinson's disease, although not all of these sufferers will experience body shaking. Typically, symptoms include shaking of one or both hands at rest, which can affect the chin, lips, face, and feet.
• Psychogenic tremor, generally occurs in people with psychiatric disorders, such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of this type can vary, but often appear suddenly and can affect any part of the body.
• Orthostatic tremor, is a rare disorder characterized by rapid muscle contractions in the legs when standing. Usually, this symptom is characterized by feeling unstable or unbalanced when standing so that the sufferer tends to want to sit or walk immediately. The cause of this type is not yet known.

How to treat or eliminate tremors?

People with tremors may not need certain medications or medications, especially if their symptoms are mild. However, in some more serious cases, shaking hands, feet, head, or body may need treatment depending on the cause.

Generally, shaking caused by certain medical conditions will improve or go away when the underlying disease is treated. For example, in people with Parkinson's disease, giving Parkinson's disease drugs, such as levodopa or carbidopa, can help relieve shaking.

Meanwhile, if the shaking is caused by the consumption of certain drugs, stopping the drug can be a way to relieve the tremors you are experiencing.

As for shaking with no known cause, doctors usually provide some form of treatment to relieve the symptoms being experienced. Here are some drug or treatment options to treat tremors in the hands, feet, head, or other parts of the body for no known cause:

• Beta blocker drugs

Usually used to treat high blood pressure, beta blockers, such as propranolol (Inderal), can help relieve essential tremors in some people. Other beta blockers that can be used include atenolol (Tenormin), metoprolol (Lopressor), nadolol, and sotalol (Betapace).

• Anti-seizure drugs

Anticonvulsant drugs, such as primidone, may be effective in people with essential-type shaking who do not respond to beta blockers. Apart from that, other anti-seizure drugs that your doctor may prescribe are gabapentin and topiramate. However, some anti-seizure drugs can cause the body to tremble, so always consult your doctor about the use of this drug.

• Sedative

Sedatives, such as alprazolam and clonazepam can also help treat people with tremors that are made worse by tension or anxiety. However, the use of these drugs should only be used on a limited basis and not in the long term because of the possible side effects, such as drowsiness, poor concentration, poor body coordination, to physical dependence.

• Botox injections

Injection botulinum toxin (Botox) may be useful in treating some types of tremors, such as dystonic tremors, as well as voice and head tremors that don't respond to medications. Botox injections can relieve shaking in this type for at least three months. However, this type of treatment can also cause side effects such as muscle weakness or hoarseness and difficulty swallowing.

• Operation

In cases of severe shaking that does not improve with medication, surgical or surgical procedures may be an option. The types of surgical procedures commonly used to treat this condition, vizdeep brain stimulation(DBS), and that is rarely done, that is thalamotomy.

In DBS, implants or electrodes are surgically implanted to send high-frequency electrical signals to the thalamus, which are structures in the brain that coordinate and control certain involuntary movements. This method is often used to treat essential tremor, Parkinson's, and dyston. While thalamotomyis surgery that removes a small part in the thalamus.

• Therapy

In addition to the medical treatments above, some people with tremors may need physical therapy (physiotherapy), speech therapy, and occupational therapy to help control their condition. Physical therapy can help improve muscle control, function, and strength through physical exercise.

Speech therapists can evaluate and help with speech, language, and communication problems, including swallowing. As for occupational therapy, it can teach you new ways to carry out daily activities that may be affected.

What are the signs when tremors need to be watched out for?

Common signs and symptoms of tremors are rhythmic movements such as shaking of the hands, arms, legs, torso, or other parts of the body. Your head may feel shaking or nodding involuntarily if this condition attacks the upper body. As for when it attacks the vocal cords, the signs and symptoms that arise are usually in the form of a vibrating voice.

Very light shaking in the body is generally normal. This condition usually occurs when you move certain body parts, such as when you hold your hand or arm that is stretched forward. Shaking in any part of your body can also become more pronounced as you age or when you feel stressed, tired, anxious, angry, hot, cold, or after consuming caffeine.

However, tremors can become unnatural if certain unusual symptoms occur. Here are some signs or symptoms that you need to be aware of:

• It gets worse over time.
• Parts of the body still tremble even when resting or resting.
• Affects your daily activities, such as difficulty writing, drinking from a glass, or using utensils, walking, and so on.
• Occurs in more than one part of the body. For example, from the hands, then affect the feet, chin, lips, or other body parts.
• Other symptoms occur along with shaking, such as slouching posture, slow movements, unstable gait or stumbling, or other signs.

If you have signs or symptoms of unusual tremors above, you should immediately consult a doctor. This condition can be a sign you have a disorder or other disease, such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and others.

Later, the doctor will diagnose the cause of the tremors you have to determine the right treatment. As for making a diagnosis, the doctor will ask for a medical history as well as perform a physical examination and several examination tests.

Screening tests can vary and are generally done to rule out other conditions that could be causing symptoms. Some of the tests that may be done are blood tests, urine tests, electromyography, imaging tests (CT scan, MRI, or X-ray), or other tests. Always consult a doctor for the right treatment for your condition.