Despite its prevalence, it wasn't until 2013 that essential tremor was given its own specific diagnostic code, one that's distinct from other tremors, in the 10th edition of the World Health Organization's International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) code book. In medicine, the word "essential" means no known underlying cause for a symptom, which is the case for essential tremor. ​
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Essential tremor (ET) is when you have uncontrolled shaking movements in parts of your body - most commonly the arms and hands. It tends to occur in families. It is mild in some people but can become severe, debilitating, and demoralizing. First and foremost, ET can begin at any age from ages 1 to 100. ET doesn’t discriminate with age, race, sex, or national origin. 

Genetics of Essential Tremor   Date: March 2022 ​
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Prepared by SIC member: Katja Lohmann, PhD. 
Authors: Pau Pastor, MD, PhD; Günther Deuschl, MD, PhD; Cornelis Blauwendraat, PhD.
Editor: Lorraine Kalia, MD, PhD.
Diann Shaddox Foundation for Essential Tremor