Essential Tremor | Causes, Pathophysiology, Symptoms, Exacerbating Factors, Diagnosis, Treatment

Essential Tremor | Causes, Pathophysiology, Signs and Symptoms, Exacerbating Factors, Diagnosis, Treatment

Essential Tremor is a movement disorder involving involuntary action and postural tremors of the upper extremities and other parts of the body. The underlying cause or etiology of Essential Tremor is not entirely understood, but it is believed to be due to issues in the brain stem and/or in the cerebellum of the brain. Essential Tremor differs in important ways with other types of tremors, including those that occur in Parkinson’s disease, which we will discuss in this lesson.

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[tonygorman]

67 yr old male, had essential tremor most of my life, my mother had it after age 60 and one of my brothers has had it for at least 20 years. Ten years ago I changed my diet from a plant based high carb to high animal fat/protein diet, also changed from working indoors high stress job to working as a bush regenerator, low paid, outdoor low stress job These changes improved my health in many ways including no more essential tremors even in high stress conditions! I think, changing from high carb to high saturated fat diet changed the chemistry of my brain and removed the trigger for the tremors in my hands.

[DSR]

When mine came into existence, I had an awful time playing the violin because even a little bit of performance anxiety makes it worse. I discovered a long time ago that Inderal (Propranolol) helped. So, I asked my physician for a prescription and like magic I was able to perform without shaking. I had read way back in the early 1970s in the newspaper that a lot of professional violinists take Inderal to help with this condition - because you cannot shake at all while performing. It worked like magic - really.

[normagwilliam]

I inherited essential tremor from my dad—my sister as well. I had 14 cousins affected the same. My sister didn’t medicate before she passed, but I found a doctor who prescribed Propanalol. Sadly, the side effect of asthma hit me hard. That was last of that drug. Some years later, I heard about DBS. I had surgery at age 80 and wished that I had heard about it many years earlier. Since my thalamus was misshapen, they weren’t able to fully tame my left hand, but they were able to tame my right hand to have zero tremor. Since I am right handed, I am totally fine with it. Three weeks ago I had to have minor surgery to replace the battery, since I never turn it off. I am now 87 years old and would do it all over again. My daughter in law can adjust my tremor by making changes in the battery when needed. To say the least, I am a very happy camper!

[JerryRea]

I had essential tremors but they have gone away since I retired and stopped taking antidepressants. I have also been diagnosed with dementia so I believe that the medication was not necessary since I no longer am depressed.

[lindawilkov]

I am now 65 and have had ET for as long as I can remember. A doctor diagnosed me with it, and told me it was nothing to worry about. It is still not a severe case. Just don’t ask me to carry a hot cup of coffee or tea across a room! I was adopted at birth, and met my birth mother when I was 18. She confirmed that she, too, had ET. (She is now deceased.). Her brother’s daughter has it, too. No one in my adoptive family had it.

[drsuessl]

I like how you outlined it all. I noticed my ET shortly after I had a massive upper G.I. bleed. I thought I was internally nervous and it was just coming out. But it never went away and overtime was getting worse. Sometime this year I will have the surgery at the Brigham And Womens Hospital.

[MB-teyj]

My 95 yr old mother has had an Essential Tremor diagnosis for twenty years. Initially misdiagnosed as Parkinsons and that led to prescribing too strong meds that she could not tolerate. She has managed her symptoms with one tablet a day at bedtime of generic Benadryl (doctors will argue this can lead to memory loss or result in falls but this has not happened with her and such concern must be balanced with the enormous benefit of taking it).

[brianpan]

I have an essential tremor of my right hand which I've had for many years. Since I'm a world traveler, every doctor I encounter diagnoses it differently: alcoholism, parkinson's, brain disorder, epilepsy, on and on. It's just crazy! The irony is that I barely notice it.

[ellenlewry]

Neurologist and I worked backwards in my case (ET, head no no, arms hands etc) had it for 28 years. I'm now 65, no family history that I know of. I had DBS 8 years ago and it has helped my ET and dystonia greatly. Best decision I ever made was to have the surgery.

[RichSmithify]

Essential tremor. So that's what it's called. I always called it the skizzers. It runs in both sides of the family so I got a double whammy. No escape for me. Some days are good and some days not so good, but physical exertion almost always brings on a bout of the skizzers. But you know, I look at my 94 y/o dad and think ...it's going to be OK. He's happy, healthy and doing just fine even with the tremors. We just don't let him salt anybody's food.

[BLFulle]

Thank you. There was so much good information in here.

[ashikhossain]

Loved it. Thanks for making it so simple

[cloudweemes]

I have the beginnings of it. My grandfather, mom's side had it as well as did his father. My dr said it can run in families.

[cloudweemes]

I remeber my grandpa's hands shaking everytime he went to drink coffee, tea or eating. My mom noticed mine when I was eating, just grew accustomed to it.

[Juju-wkyv]

We have a history of this in my family. It makes eating and drinking difficult.

[bellakrinkle]

Stress exasperates my ET. I have ET on only the left side of my body, fingers, hand and leg. I do not have Parkinson's Disease. I was given Dilantin to prevent seizures, following brain surgery. Instead I had an anaphylactic shock and it was believed that I would die. I was placed in two different hospitals. The second hospital placed my in a room with a woman clearly dying. Her groans and moans woke me up. I am lucky to be alive. Subsequently, I never took the shot, or booster. No drugs or pharmaceuticals eliviate my tremors.

[HTJB]

Thank's, helped a bit. Had it slightly for 35 - 40 year's just got real bad ... Nice to know 'what's going on'. Better than just being given pill's.

[annisechetelat]

I get tremors but also I get body spasms or jerks. The spasms shows up especially when stressed or thinking about something that is bothersome. What causes this.? I have inner ear tumor, severe neck and lower back issues.

[prunelle]

I'm surprised that ketogenic diets are not mentioned in this video as many people are reporting that their tremors have greatly improved or even stopped on a keto or carnivore diet.

[tomvt]

Yup, I remember my grandfather having it and when he'd come over for Sunday dinner and ask for coffee, my mom would give it to him with the cup about half full and a saucer to catch the spill over from shakes. My dad had it and his head would bobble a bit at times in his 80's. I don't remember either of them having a quavering voice. But they were both good guys so we loved them just like anyone would love their family and it didn't seem to interfere much with their lives. My son and I both have it and it can be annoying as now that I'm in my 70's my penmanship is deteriorating as well as some guitar playing but most of that may be arthritis. I don't write out birthday or Christmas cards in the morning after coffee. Like my cousin who inherited the tremors as well would say, "If it gets too bad, I'll just take a job in a donut shop putting on the sprinkles."
Katharine Hepburn had it and I remember her head having some involuntary movement and a tremor in her voice but I remember thinking she was very cool for going on a talk show and just carrying on with her life rather than letting it keep her from doing her thing in public. ( I remember some comedian doing an imitation of her and I thought that was pretty tacky.) But some comedians have been mocking people with disabilities for a long time and the strong ones make light of it. (Stevie Wonder - Eddie Murphy, Jada Pinkett Smith- Chris Rock, Michael J. Fox in Rescue Me).