What Causes Tremors In Hands?

While in the market or when transacting with certain people, have you ever noticed some of them had shaky hands? During my medical college days, I had a friend who used to get shaky hands while taking a finger prick. Otherwise, all the time, he used to be normal. He said that he used to get nervous during the experiment. My grandfather, in his old age, had developed shaky hands and couldn’t hold a saucer without spilling tea from it. Shaky hands are also called as hand tremors. They could be distressing because it impairs the person’s ability to feed oneself, write, sign, or hold things, and function independently.

So, if you are struggling to write or tie up your shoelaces, it is important to address the issue at an early stage. Let us know what exactly are tremors.

What are tremors?

Tremor is a neurological condition causing repeated involuntary muscular contraction involving single or multiple parts of the body. It is a debilitating and disabling condition affecting the quality of life. In simple terms, it causes uncontrolled movement disorder causing excessive shakiness of hands, legs, head, or trunk. Tremors are progressive in nature to dysfunction of the brain or the nervous system.

There are various reasons why people get hand tremors. These reasons could vary from being very simple to having serious pathology behind it.

Causes of Tremors:

Here are some common causes of tremors.

Essential tremors are the most common of all the tremors. It results due to neurological disorder and causes rhythmic tremors. It can affect any part of the body, the hands – causing shaky hands, neck – causing no-no movements of the head, and, even, the voice – causing it to tremble or wavy. People above 40 years and above are affected, and it gets worse with age. The tremors occur when the person uses the hands. If you have a family history of essential tremors, you likely get it too.
Anxiety
Low blood sugar
Overdose of coffee
Hyperthyroidism
Certain diseases of the brain, such as Parkinsonism, Huntington’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, and post-stroke. Parkinson’s tremors are the classic pill rolling tremors that occur when the person is at rest. The tremor disappears when the person starts to do any activity.
Medications, such as certain antidepressants, certain anti-arrhythmia medicines, and asthma medications
Alcohol withdrawal
Deficiency of Vitamin B12
Stress may aggravate the tremors

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How Does the Doctor Find Out the Cause of My Tremor?

The doctor will take a detailed history of the onset, duration, and progress of the tremors, history of any illness, medication or accident, and family history of a similar problem.

The doctor will perform a detailed neurological examination, may suggest blood tests, and an MRI of the brain to rule out any pathology in the brain.

Treatment for Tremors:

The treatment is specific to the cause. In cases where the tremors are resulting due to an overdose, deficiency, side-effect of medication, or low blood sugar, correcting the deficiency or sugar level or stopping the medicine will help to correct the tremors.

Tremors resulting due to diseases would need treatment, such as condition-specific medicines, Botox, surgery for deep brain stimulation, thalamectomy, etc.

Living with Hand Tremors

It also has to be remembered that most of the hand tremors cannot be cured completely. They can only be managed to a certain extent with medicines and proper lifestyle changes.

Replace the plates bowls, glasses, and mugs with heavy ones.
Use bigger plates and bigger and heavier spoons. Look out for spoons that have special grip handles for you to hold.
Use wrist weights. This will help to stabilize the hands.
Switch to easy-wear clothing that does not have buttons.
If you are having essential tremors, try relaxing. It helps to reduce the severity of tremors while performing tasks.

Homoeopathic Medicines for Tremors:

As mentioned above in the treatment part, tremors can only be managed and not cured. Homeopathic medicines act as supportive ones and improve the relief in tremors. Below are the commonly used medicines for hand tremors.

Gelsemium: Trembling and loss of muscular co-ordination indicate this remedy. When the patient experiences excessive trembling and weakness of all the limbs, fatigue after slight exercise, and trembling of hands when lifting them this remedy may help. When the patient may experience aggravation by changes in the weather, damp, wet fog, and thinking about his ailments and feels better in the open air, after taking stimulants and continuing the motion, this medicine may help.

Sulphuric acid: This medicine is indicated for tremors in alcoholics. The sensation of extreme weakness and tremors all over the body without visible tremors, cramp-like paralytic conditions of the hands with jerking, a great desire for stimulants, and jerking of fingers during sleep indicate this remedy. The patient experiences aggravation in the morning and evening and the open air. Water causes coldness in the stomach and has to be mixed with alcohol.

Lathyrus Sat: It is indicated for tremors of the arms which increases on attempting to use the hands. When the patient experiences paralytic weakness in the legs, inability to lift the legs causing bow leg gait, uncertain gait, and highly exaggerated reflexes, this remedy is recommended.

Cocculus: Trembling and pain in the limbs, particularly when the left side is affected, this remedy is indicated. When the patient experiences trembling of the hand when eating and when raised higher, weakness in the lower limbs, and bad effects after the loss of sleep, after emotional disturbance, and smoking, this medicine is recommended. The patient is very anxious about the health of others.

I hope this article provides you an insight into tremors. In case you have any queries, you may write to us at info@lifeforce.in or call us at 91 22 66888888. We shall be glad to assist you.

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