Essential Tremor

Essential tremor is an unintentional, somewhat rhythmic, muscle movement involving to-and-fro movements (oscillations) of one or more parts of the body.

Other Names

• Benign Essential Tremor

Signs and Symptoms

Essential tremor is the most common type of more than 20 types of tremor. Although it may be mild and nonprogressive in some people, in others the tremor is slowly progressive, starting on one side of the body but eventually affecting both sides. Hand tremor is most common but the head, arms, voice, tongue, legs, and trunk may also be involved. Hand tremor may cause problems with purposeful movements such as eating, writing, sewing, or shaving. Head tremor may be seen as a "yes-yes" or "no-no" motion.

Essential tremor may be accompanied by mild gait disturbances. Heightened emotion, stress, fever, physical exhaustion, or low blood sugar may trigger tremors or increase their severity. Onset is most common after age 40, although symptoms can appear at any age.

Treatment

There is no definitive cure for essential tremor. Symptomatic drug therapy may include propranolol or other beta blockers and primidone, an anticonvulsant drug. Eliminating tremor "triggers" such as caffeine and other stimulants from the diet is often recommended. Physical therapy may help to reduce tremor and improve coordination and muscle control for some patients.

Chances of Developing Essential Tremor

Genetics

Children of a parent who has essential tremor have a 50% chance of inheriting the condition. Essential tremor is not associated with any known pathology.

Clinical Trials

Select this link to view a list of studies currently seeking patients.

Research

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a unit of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation's leading federal funder of research on disorders of the brain and nervous system. The NINDS sponsors research on tremor both at its facilities at the NIH and through grants to medical centers.

Scientists at the NINDS are evaluating the effectiveness of 1-octanol, a substance similar to alcohol but less intoxicating, for treating essential tremor. Results of two previous NIH studies have shown this agent to be promising as a potential new treatment.

Scientists are also studying the effectiveness of botulinum toxin as a treatment for a variety of involuntary movement disorders, including essential tremor of the hand.

Expected Outcome

Duration

Although essential tremor is not life-threatening, it can make it harder to perform daily tasks and is embarrassing to some people. Tremor frequency may decrease as the person ages, but the severity may increase, affecting the person's ability to perform certain tasks or activities of daily living. In many people the tremor may be mild throughout life.