Hand Tremors

…may just be a nervous reaction. But it could also be a common movement disorder that affects millions of people.

Giving a speech at a wedding, interviewing for a job, or meeting a new date can make anyone a bit nervous. So, if your hands tremble during such occasions, you might think, no big deal. And it might not be anything more than fleeting situational nervousness. But if it happens frequently, seemingly spontaneously, and can’t be controlled, it could be a condition called essential tremor, or ET.

ET is the most common movement disorder, afflicting up to 10 million people in the US. It’s a chronic, progressive condition that usually affects the hands, but can also disrupt other parts of the body, including the head, arms, vocal cords, and less commonly, the lower body. Actress Katherine Hepburn is among the famous people whose ET made her voice flutter and head shake.

Similar To But Not Parkinson’s

The involuntary shaking movements are similar to those of Parkinson’s disease, but ET is a different condition. It’s not life-threatening, but it can often be life-altering. ET can manifest on its own, accompany other conditions, or be caused by medications. To effectively treat ET, it’s best to see a neurologist.

“It’s important to rule out Parkinson’s, since tremors are a symptom of that disease, but it’s also possible for a person to have both ET and Parkinson’s,” explains neurologist Indira Subramanian, MD, UCLA Department of Neurology. “In some cases, medications can contribute to tremors, so it can be a matter of managing or removing medications that might be the cause of the shaking.”

Affects Both Younger And Older People