You're most likely to notice essential tremor in your hands. About 9 in 10 people with essential tremor have hand tremor.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Sullivan K, Hauser R, Zesiewicz T.
Essential tremor. Epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment.
Neurologist. 2004; 10: 250-258.

 

 

 

 

 

¹ It may start in only one hand, but over time both hands are usually affected.

You may notice the tremor when you stretch out your arms and try to hold them steady, but they shake. Or you may notice it when you do something with your hands, such as eating or writing. Doctors call this type of tremor an action tremor.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Smaga S.
Tremor.
American Family Physician. 2003; 68: 1545-1553.

 

 

 

 

 

²

The second most common kind of essential tremor is head tremor. About half the people with essential tremor have this.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Sullivan K, Hauser R, Zesiewicz T.
Essential tremor. Epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment.
Neurologist. 2004; 10: 250-258.

 

 

 

 

 

¹ You can have tremor in your hands and head at the same time. Your head can shake either up and down or from side to side. Sometimes your voice may also shake, especially if you're older.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Smaga S.
Tremor.
American Family Physician. 2003; 68: 1545-1553.

 

 

 

 

 

² Your body or legs can also have a tremor.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Louis ED.
Essential tremor.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2001; 345: 887-891.

 

 

 

 

 

³

But if you only have a tremor in your voice, tongue, chin, or leg (without a tremor in your hands or head), you don't have essential tremor.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Deuschl G, Bain P, Brin M, et al.
Consensus statement of the Movement Disorder Society on tremor.
Movement Disorders. 1998; 13: 2-23.

 

 

 

 

 

⁴

The tremor may be worse when you are tired or stressed. You may notice that drinking alcohol reduces the tremor.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Sullivan K, Hauser R, Zesiewicz T.
Essential tremor. Epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment.
Neurologist. 2004; 10: 250-258.

 

 

 

 

 

¹

Your doctor will try to find out whether anything is causing your tremor. Some illnesses, such as a

 

 

 

 

 

stroke
You have a stroke when the blood supply to a part of your brain is cut off. This damages your brain and can cause symptoms like weakness or numbness on one side of your body. You may also find it hard to speak if you've had a stroke.

 

 

 

 

 

stroke,

 

 

 

 

 

thyroid gland
Your thyroid gland is a small organ that sits in your neck, just in front of your windpipe. It sends out a hormone called thyroxine. This acts on receptors within cells. By acting on the receptors it gives the cells a message to speed up their metabolism and work harder.

 

 

 

 

 

thyroid problems and Parkinson's disease, can cause a tremor. Some medications can also cause tremor. Your doctor will only diagnose essential tremor if he or she can't find a definite reason for your tremor.

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
Deuschl G, Bain P, Brin M, et al.
Consensus statement of the Movement Disorder Society on tremor.
Movement Disorders. 1998; 13: 2-23.

 

 

 

 

 

⁴ If there's a sudden change in how bad your tremor is, it may be that something is causing it.

Your doctor will ask you about the medications you take, your family history and any other symptoms that you have. Your doctor will examine you, and you'll have blood tests. For example, you may have a test to make sure your thyroid gland (a gland in your neck) isn't overactive.

Some people may need tests, such as a

 

 

 

 

 

CT scan
A CT scan is a type of X-ray. It takes several detailed pictures of the inside of your body from different angles. CT stands for computed tomography. It's also called a CAT scan (computed axial tomography).

 

 

 

 

 

CT scan or

 

 

 

 

 

MRI scan
The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine uses a magnetic field to create detailed pictures of the inside of the body. These pictures allow doctors to look at parts of the body in three-dimensional images.

 

 

 

 

 

MRI scan, to look for other problems that may be causing a tremor, such as a stroke.

You may need to see a doctor who specializes in the nervous system (a neurologist).

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