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Conditions
Shaking
Essential tremor

Essential tremor

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Essential tremor is a condition that involves an involuntary shaking movement caused by a brain disorder. The shaking is usually visible in the hands, but may also be seen in the arms, head, and eyelids. The voice may be affected as well. Although the shaking is involuntary, it also occurs during voluntary movements such as writing.

Dr. Robert Kwok reviewed this

35 year experience in Pediatrics

Is a type of:

Movement disorder • Shaking • Hand and finger conditions

How long it usually lasts:

Chronic (lasts years to lifelong)

How common it is:

Very common
Baby
0-2
Rare
Preteen
6-13
Common
Teenager
14-18
Common
Young adult
19-40
Very common
Middle-aged adult
41-60
Very common

How it can usually be treated?

Incurable but treatment can help

How is it usually diagnosed?

Requires diagnosis by a medical professional

Body locations

Hand

Symptoms

Tremor
Resting tremor
Head tremor
Shaking hands or tremor

Medications

Ratings show how effective doctors think these medications are at treating Essential tremor
Propranolol
4
4 reviews
Clonazepam
3
9 reviews
Primidone
Mysoline

Procedures

Ratings show how effective doctors think these procedures are at treating Essential tremor

Surgery

Deep brain stimulation
3.8
8 reviews

Other treatments

Watchful waiting

Tests

Thyroid blood tests
Ceruloplasmin

Related questions

A 31-year old asked:

How badly could essential tremors get?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 34-year old asked:

Who gets essential tremor?

2 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

A 40-year old asked:

What is an essential tremor?

5 doctor answers • 13 doctors weighed in

A 33-year old asked:

Is essential tremor permanent?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 41-year old asked:

Whats benign essential tremor?

1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in

A 42-year old female asked about a 19-year old male:

What is essential tremor please?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 43-year old asked:

What is benign essential tremor?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 48-year old asked:

What does essential tremor feel like?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 23-year old asked:

What sort of disorder is an essential tremor?

3 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in

A 24-year old female asked:

Spasms are a common symptom of essential tremor?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 43-year old asked:

Can essential tremor be treated with medication?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 37-year old asked:

What should I do to help with an essential tremor?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 37-year old asked:

What symptoms are typical of baseline essential tremor?

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 48-year old asked:

What are the indications a tremor is an essential tremor?

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 33-year old male asked:

What is the definition or description of: Essential tremor?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 40-year old asked:

Is it possible to control essential tremor without medication?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 46-year old asked:

Need advice on what is the the best way to control essential tremor?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 48-year old asked:

Please tell me, could a person have both essential tremors + parkinson's?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 48-year old asked:

Is essential tremors curable? Is it genetic or caused by some injury later in life?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 60-year old male asked:

Ate there meds I can take for ADHD to improve focus and attention as well as essential tremors?

2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

A 36-year old male asked:

What are thd indications to dbs in essential tremor?

2 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

A 41-year old female asked about a 61-year old female:

How can they confirm diagnosis between parkinsons and essential tremors?

2 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

A 40-year old asked:

If I have essential tremors could i get my cannabis card to treat the tremors?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 50-year old female asked about a 64-year old female:

Is cannibus an effective choice for essential tremors? I do not condone illegal drugs.

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 47-year old male asked:

What causes resting, action and essential tremors? For me to have all 3. I am taking primadone now and it is not helping.

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 21-year old male asked:

Could people with essential tremors do periodic exercises? like gym, martial arts, soccer... What the influence of the bad alimentation on et?

2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

A 36-year old asked:

Is essential tremor curable ?

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 24-year old asked:

Can you prevent essential tremor?

3 doctor answers • 11 doctors weighed in

A 32-year old asked:

Is there a cure for essential tremor?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 48-year old male asked:

Essential tremor over-the-counter essential tremor control?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

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