What is Essential Tremor?
Essential tremor is a neurological condition that causes involuntary and rhythmic shaking, most commonly affecting the hands, but it can also involve the head, voice, legs, or other parts of the body. It is the most common movement disorder and tends to gradually worsen over time. While essential tremor is often mistaken for Parkinson’s disease, the two conditions are different. Essential tremor typically occurs during voluntary movements (like holding a cup or writing), while tremors in Parkinson’s usually happen when muscles are at rest.
The cause of essential tremor is not fully understood, but it may be linked to abnormal communication between certain areas of the brain, including the cerebellum, thalamus, and brainstem. It can occur at any age but is more common in people over 40 and often runs in families, suggesting a genetic component.
How is Essential Tremor Treated?
Treatment for essential tremor depends on the severity of the symptoms and how much they interfere with daily life. Mild tremors may not require treatment, but if they become disabling or affect quality of life, several options are available:
- Medications: First-line treatments often include beta-blockers (such as propranolol) or anti-seizure medications (such as primidone), which can reduce tremor severity. Other medications may be used depending on the individual response.
- Physical or Occupational Therapy: Therapy can help patients develop strategies and tools to manage daily tasks and reduce the impact of tremors.
- Surgical Options: In more severe cases where medications are ineffective, procedures such as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) may be considered. DBS involves implanting a device that sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain to reduce tremor activity.
- Focused Ultrasound: This is a non-invasive procedure that uses sound waves to create a lesion in the part of the brain responsible for the tremor, with the goal of reducing symptoms.
Treatment plans are individualized and developed in collaboration with a neurologist or neurosurgeon, based on the patient’s symptoms, health status, and personal preferences.