Alcohol, used in moderation, can reduce tremor for short periods of time. Adaptive devices, including wide-grip pens and eating utensils, may help you compensate for your tremor. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy, which can improve your muscle strength. As the condition progresses, medications or surgery can be used to relieve the symptoms.Ĭaffeine and stress should be avoided, and good sleep is recommended. If the tremor is mild, lifestyle adjustments may be all that are needed. Treatment depends on the symptoms and extent of disability caused by the tremor. But whereas people with Parkinson's often have balance problems, slowness of movement, and freezing of gait, people with ET only rarely have problems in their legs. Your doctor also may give you a "performance test," in which you are asked to drink from a glass, hold your arms outstretched, write your name, or draw a spiral.Įssential tremor is sometimes misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease. He or she will explore whether another condition is causing your tremors by conducting a neurological exam and ordering laboratory tests. Your physician will review your medical history and family history, and will conduct a physical exam. There is no medical test that can confirm a diagnosis of ET. The abnormal electrical brain activity is believed to occur between the thalamus and cerebellum connections. Scientists do not know the cause of essential tremor. Children of a parent with the essential tremor gene have a 50 percent chance of inheriting the gene. The gene increases the risk of ET, but not everyone with the gene gets ET, and not everyone with ET has this particular genetic variant. Essential tremor has a genetic component, a variant of the LINGO1 gene.
Tremors that get worse during periods of stress and that lessen during rest.Įssential tremor is more common after age 40 but can affect people of any age, including children.Tremors that occur involuntarily and cannot be stopped.Head nodding in a "no-no" or "yes-yes" motion.Rhythmic tremors of the hands, legs, or trunk.Symptoms of essential tremor vary from person to person, as does the rate of progression. In essential tremor, an area of the brain called the thalamus sends faulty electrical signals causing the hands, arms, head or voice to shake uncontrollably.