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Symptoms of Essential Tremor
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What Are the Symptoms of Essential Tremor?
If you have essential tremor, you will have shaking and trembling at different times and in different situations, but some characteristics are common to all. Here is what you might typically experience:
- Tremors occur when you move and are less noticeable when you rest.
- Tremors can begin in one hand and progress to both hands.
- Certain medicines, caffeine or stress can make your tremors worse.
- Tremors may improve with ingestion of a small amount of alcohol (such as wine).
- Shaking when lifting or carrying a full glass or cup of coffee
- Tremors progress over time.
- Tremors that are most obvious in your hands or in one finger.
- Difficulty doing tasks with your hands, such as writing or using tools.
- Shaking or quivering sound in your voice.
- Uncontrollable head-nodding, yes-yes or no-no motion of the head.
- In some instances, tremors in your legs or feet.
- Begin gradually, usually more prominently on one side of the body.
- Balance problems
- Tremors that get worse with purposeful movement
- May be aggravated by emotional stress, fatigue, caffeine, or temperature extremes.
Never heard of essential tremor?
Perhaps it's because so many other conditions compete for headlines. Advocates for people with ET have not had the benefit of a celebrity spokesperson such as Michael J. Fox or Muhammad Ali, who both have Parkinson's disease. The most famous person with ET was the late actress Katherine Hepburn, who parlayed her disorder into an intriguing component of both her vocal and on-screen personae. Other notables with ET include retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and the late West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd, who passed away.
NOT THAT BAD—OR IS IT? Although the disease is not fatal, it can cause severe disability. “Essential tremor can cause significant disability. In addition, tremor tends to worsen with age.
Children & ET > > >
Essential tremor (ET) is often thought of as an adult-onset condition. However, it can start any age and in early childhood affecting about 5% of children, predominantly involving the hands.
WHAT IS ESSENTIAL TREMOR? > > >
Essential Tremor is a progressive and highly prevalent neurologic disease that causes a rhythmic trembling of the hands, head, voice, legs, or entire body, the largest movement disorder in the world, affecting over 130 million (including children).
COMMONLY MISDIAGNOSED
Essential tremor can be easily misdiagnosed as another movement disorder, most frequently Parkinson's disease. Essential tremor actually occurs eight times more often than Parkinson's. A handwriting test is often used to distinguish between the two, says Dr. Lyons. “Essential tremor often results in large, shaky handwriting samples. Parkinson's writing typically starts out normal, then gets smaller and smaller.”
Tremors of the voice and head also do not generally occur in Parkinson's but are commonly seen with ET. A patient suspected of ET should be examined while in a reclined or seated position with complete body support.
Dystonic tremor > > >
Dystonic Tremor is also often confused with ET. Patients with dystonia exhibit an abnormal, involuntary spasm or contraction of muscles in the face, neck, hand, or torso. When muscles aren't used, they normally relax. With dystonia they do not, resulting in abnormal postures.
Essential tremor vs. Parkinson's disease > > >
Many people associate tremors with Parkinson's disease, but the two conditions differ in key ways:
Finding the right doctor for ET > > >
Perhaps it's because so many other conditions compete for headlines. Advocates for people with ET have not had the benefit of a celebrity spokesperson such as Michael J. Fox or Muhammad Ali, who both have Parkinson's disease. The most famous person with ET was the late actress Katherine Hepburn, who parlayed her disorder into an intriguing component of both her vocal and on-screen personae. Other notables with ET include retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor and the late West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd, who passed away.
NOT THAT BAD—OR IS IT? Although the disease is not fatal, it can cause severe disability. “Essential tremor can cause significant disability. In addition, tremor tends to worsen with age.
Children & ET > > >
Essential tremor (ET) is often thought of as an adult-onset condition. However, it can start any age and in early childhood affecting about 5% of children, predominantly involving the hands.
WHAT IS ESSENTIAL TREMOR? > > >
Essential Tremor is a progressive and highly prevalent neurologic disease that causes a rhythmic trembling of the hands, head, voice, legs, or entire body, the largest movement disorder in the world, affecting over 130 million (including children).
COMMONLY MISDIAGNOSED
Essential tremor can be easily misdiagnosed as another movement disorder, most frequently Parkinson's disease. Essential tremor actually occurs eight times more often than Parkinson's. A handwriting test is often used to distinguish between the two, says Dr. Lyons. “Essential tremor often results in large, shaky handwriting samples. Parkinson's writing typically starts out normal, then gets smaller and smaller.”
Tremors of the voice and head also do not generally occur in Parkinson's but are commonly seen with ET. A patient suspected of ET should be examined while in a reclined or seated position with complete body support.
Dystonic tremor > > >
Dystonic Tremor is also often confused with ET. Patients with dystonia exhibit an abnormal, involuntary spasm or contraction of muscles in the face, neck, hand, or torso. When muscles aren't used, they normally relax. With dystonia they do not, resulting in abnormal postures.
Essential tremor vs. Parkinson's disease > > >
Many people associate tremors with Parkinson's disease, but the two conditions differ in key ways:
Finding the right doctor for ET > > >
