Perhaps you too have been feeling a little shaky in your hands these days. Or do you feel like your hands are shaking when you pick up a cup of tea, drink a glass of water, or sign a document? Most of the time, we don't pay much attention to this. We think, "This happens when you're angry" or "Maybe it's because you're a little tired." But this shaking of the hands, which we call tremor in medicine, can sometimes be an important signal that our body is giving us. Therefore, it's very important to be a little aware of this.
Two main types of tremor
First, let's understand this. Hand tremors can occur in two main ways.
1. Resting Tremor: If your hands tremble when you are sitting in a chair and relaxing, doing nothing, it may belong to this type.
2. Action Tremor : If you experience tremors while doing something, for example, writing, lifting a cup, or eating, it belongs to this type.
Understanding which of these two types of tremors you have will help a lot in finding the cause.
What is Essential Tremor?
This is the most common cause of hand tremors. Although many people confuse it with Parkinson's disease, the two are completely different.
Essential Tremor is when your hands shake when you are trying to do something . For example, when you start eating, your spoon shakes in your hand, or you shake so much that you can't hold a glass of water. This is the nature of this condition. Sometimes, this tremor starts in the hands and can spread to the head and even the voice.
What are the reasons for this?
- Genetics: If your mother or father has this condition, you are more likely to develop it too.
- Age: Although it can develop at any age, it is most common in people over the age of 40. The risk increases with age.
The important thing is that Essential Tremor is not a life-threatening condition. However, it can get worse over time. Stress , fatigue, and drinking too much coffee can make the tremors worse.
Treating this condition can be challenging. Although there are medications available, not everyone gets the same results. In some severe cases, treatments such as surgery or Deep Brain Stimulation may be needed. You can talk to your doctor about this to learn more.
Parkinson's Disease and Tremors
Tremors are one of the first symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but not everyone with Parkinson's disease has tremors.
This is the exact opposite of Essential Tremor . That is, the tremor occurs when you are relaxed and at rest . For example, when you are just standing still, an arm, leg, or finger starts to tremble. As soon as you start doing something, this tremor stops.
Most of the time, this starts on one side of the body. Over time, it can spread to the other side. Like any tremor, it increases when you get angry, scared, or anxious.
Tremors caused by other medical conditions
Some other medical conditions can also cause hands to tremble in this way.
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS): This is a disease that affects our immune system , brain, and nervous system. Tremors in the hands or feet can also be a symptom.
- Alcohol Withdrawal: When someone who has been heavily addicted to alcohol suddenly stops drinking, tremors may be one of the first symptoms. This can last from a few days to up to a year.
Not all tremors are due to illness!
If your hands are shaking, you don't always need to worry that it's a serious illness. Sometimes this can be a normal reaction of our body to certain things. Let's see what it is.
| Cause | A simple explanation |
|---|---|
| Some medications | Some medications, especially those for mental illness, affect the chemical dopamine in the brain. This can cause tremors as a side effect. This goes away when the medication is stopped. |
| Vitamin B12 Deficiency | Vitamin B12 is essential for the healthy functioning of our nervous system. It is found in foods like meat, fish, milk, and eggs. When it is too low, the nervous system can become weak and tremors can occur. |
| Caffeine | If you drink many cups of coffee or tea a day, that can also be a cause of tremors. |
| Stress | Things like stress, anger, hunger, and lack of sleep can also cause tremors in the body. We call this Physiologic Tremor . |
| Low Blood Sugar | Doctors call this hypoglycemia . When the body's sugar level suddenly drops, the body's response is to shiver. |
| Hyperthyroidism | When the thyroid gland in the neck becomes overactive, processes throughout the body speed up. The heart rate increases, sleep is disrupted, and hands start to tremble. |
| Nerve Damage | When the nervous system is damaged due to an accident, disease, or other cause, a condition called peripheral neuropathy can occur. This can also cause tingling in the hands and feet. |
So you can see, there is not one cause of shaking hands, but many. Therefore, rather than deciding that this is the cause on your own, the most important and safest thing to do is to see a doctor and get an accurate diagnosis.
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms, ask if anyone in your family has had similar conditions, and if necessary, perform blood tests to tell you exactly what condition you have.
Take-Home Message
- Tremor is a common symptom, and it is not always caused by a serious medical condition.
- Pay attention to whether the tremors occur when you are relaxed or when you are working. This is very important to find the cause.
- Even normal tremors can be exacerbated by things like stress, overwork, lack of sleep, and coffee.
- Give your doctor a complete description of the medications you are taking and your lifestyle. It will help a lot in making an accurate diagnosis.
- If tremors are interfering with your daily activities, or if they seem to be getting worse over time, see a doctor without delay .
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