First, tremors are not necessarily Parkinson’s disease. They are not life-threatening, so they should not be a significant health issue. Even so, it may hurt everyday living and need changes in behavior. Tremors are conditions of the nervous system and brain that result in tremors. Hand tremors are the most common, although they may appear elsewhere on the body. Your head may wobble from side to side or up and down. When you talk, you may notice that your voice is shaky or your eyes flutter. Core or leg tremors, which are less prevalent, might compromise your balance and gait. If you experience New York tremors, know that you are not alone.
Sometimes when you are engaged in an activity, you are more likely to feel the shakes. “Action tremors” may be caused by tying shoelaces, eating meals, making notes, or shaving. When you are not doing anything, you may have “tremors at rest.” Stress, exhaustion, coffee, and severe temperatures might exacerbate your symptoms. If you experience tremors, you can manage them with the following options:
Using prescription drugs
Propranolol, an anti-hypertension medicine, and primidone, an anti-seizure drug, are among the treatments your neurologist will attempt to alleviate your symptoms. In the overall population, “they are approximately equally likely to work” The dizziness caused by low blood pressure may be worsened by propranolol. In contrast, primidone might make patients feel exhausted or unbalanced.” Discuss your medical history with your neurologist to get the appropriate medicine for you.
Therapy
Patients may be prescribed physical or occupational therapy by a physician. Strength, control, and coordination may all be improved via physical therapy activities. With the support of occupational therapists, you can adjust to life with essential tremors. Adaptive devices, such as the following, may be recommended by therapists to help lessen the impact of tremors on everyday activities:
- Using heavier glasses and cutlery
- Weights strapped on one’s wrist
- Using pens with a wider grip and a heavier weight
Surgery
Surgery may be an option if medicine does not sufficiently control tremor symptoms. Stereotaxic thalamotomy and thalamic deep brain stimulation are two examples of these techniques. Although the former treatment is permanent, new developments in neuroimaging methods have revealed rising benefits and fewer negative consequences.
While treating tremors, deep brain stimulation uses electrodes inserted into the areas of the brain associated with it. When the stimulator is activated, the brain’s hyperactive areas are cooled down, resulting in fewer tremors. It is a superior option that is reversible and superior overall to thalamotomy but more costly and time-consuming for battery and hardware replacements and tweaks. Slurred speech, paresthesias, or aberrant muscular spasms may be adverse effects after brain surgery, depending on where the leads are inserted.
Surgery should be considered when medicine fails to manage the tremor and becomes debilitating. In addition, these treatments should be avoided by those suffering from cognitive impairment or medical conditions in flux.
For many patients, the effects of tremors may be life-altering. Consider joining a support group if they make it difficult to enjoy your life to the fullest. Although support groups are not for everyone, having the support of others who know what you are going through may be beneficial. It is also possible to consult with an expert social worker who can assist you in dealing with the difficulties of having tremors.
