Essential Tremor: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Clozapine is recommended only for refractory cases of limb tremor in ET[14,15] and patients should be monitored for agranulocytosis. Further studies are required to prove the efficacy of these drugs. Treatment depends on the severity of tremor, the body part affected, and the occupation of the patients. In patients with essential tremor better with alcohol less disabling tremor, certain behavioral techniques and physical therapy may be useful. These include relaxation therapies and reducing emotional stress, using the less disabled hand to write or eat, using wrist weights[2] and minimizing exposure to tremorogenic foods (eg, caffeine) and drugs (eg, sympathomimetics).

This is not the first study to find a link between essential tremor and cognition issues. If you are on medication such as propranolol it is advisable to avoid drinking alcohol, which could increase drowsiness and even dizziness. People with tremor will find that roughly two units of alcohol (roughly one pint or one small glass of wine) will suppress essential tremor for about 4 hours. On-the-other-hand, too much booze, not only affects your judgement, but can cause a hangover that worsens the tremor the next morning. Many people find alcohol is an enjoyable part of their life, but too much can cause problems and worsen tremor. It may be very tempting to withdraw from family and friends to avoid uncomfortable situations.

How does essential tremor affect my body?

Essential tremor is a nervous system condition, also known as a neurological condition, that causes involuntary and rhythmic shaking. It can affect almost any part of the body, but the trembling occurs most often in the hands, especially when doing simple tasks, such as drinking from a glass or tying shoelaces. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ Topiramate (blocks sodium channels and potentiates GABA activity) has been shown to be effective in reducing ET (monotherapy or add-on therapy).[10–12] It is started at 25–50 mg at bedtime and titrated up to 400 mg/day. Side effects include suppression of appetite, weight loss, and paresthesias.

This noninvasive approach to treating hand tremors is an outpatient procedure that directs “beams” of ultrasound into the brain to deaden the small area that transmits dysfunctional movement signals to the hands. The result is durable tremor control, and regaining excellent quality of life. Patients #5–8 demonstrate the response of VT and ET to treatment with Xyrem in IRB-approved clinical trials [18,43].

Botulinum toxin (Botox®) injections

A prospective, multicenter, randomized trial also reported sustained benefit at two year follow-up, with 62% of patients showing a 50% improvement in tremor rating. Mild progression of tremor and disability scores was seen between years one and two.170 Adverse reactions are summarized in table 2. AAN guidelines state that nimodipine may be effective in treating essential tremor.