Hand tremor: causes and treatment in adults

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Probably, each of us faced with a situation when hands are shaking. Sometimes we can explain it with a nervous shock, excitement, fear, but it happens that we do not find a reasonable explanation.

In fact, the causes of hand tremor can be many and far from all of them relate to psychology, some of them indicate the presence of serious damage to the brain or internal organs.

What is behind this common and quite ordinary phenomenon, and what can it tell? Let's reflect, why and in what cases at the adult person hands are shaken, and whether it is possible to get rid of this unpleasant condition in house conditions.

Causes of hand tremor

Why are the hands shaking, and what are the causes of this condition? There are two main types of hand tremor: physiological( natural) and pathological. Physiological tremor of the hands can occur in any healthy person, and the amplitude of involuntary vibrations is small enough.

Strengthened physiological tremor has a somewhat larger amplitude and can occur with conditions that cause excitation of peripheral b-adrenergic receptors:

1. Physical overstrain : lifting weights, holding a static posture( for example, if you are uncomfortable taking the handrail in transport), total body fatigue.
2. Psycho-emotional load - stress, examination, public speaking. In this case, hand trembling is the cause of the characteristics of the nervous system and is not a pathology.
3. Depression that affects the self-control of the person. In this case, the use of psychostimulants and antidepressants during this period can provoke an increase in tremor, as well as excessive consumption of alcoholic, strong coffee and tea.
4. Aging .Hand tremors are common in the elderly. He can gradually progress, becoming more frequent. If it appears, when the hands are at rest, then when a person uses his hands, he becomes stronger.
5. Poisoning of .Whether it is food, alcohol, or whatever, it does not matter. With any of these poisonings, toxins, getting into the blood, are carried throughout the body and, getting into the brain, affect the nerve cells. First of all, they attack the vestibular apparatus and occipital lobes, which are responsible for the coordination of movement. It is this fact that gives an answer to the question of why hands are shaking after alcohol, especially if it is used frequently and systematically.
6. Excessive consumption of tea, coffee, alcohol, inveterate smoking, drug overdose or even vitamins .All this leads to an increased burden on some organs, especially the heart, which in turn leads to an effect of excitement, anxiety and often to tremor of hands. For example, the causes of tremor in divorced fingers are the regular abuse of alcohol.
7. Side effects of various drugs ( most often they can be found by carefully reading the instructions to the drug).

Why the hands are shaking: possible diseases

If the above reasons related to lifestyle are not suitable for your case, then, probably, the cause of hand trembling is a serious systemic disease of the body. In other words, the trembling of the hands is just one of the symptoms of another, much more serious pathology. Below we list the most common diseases that are accompanied by hand tremors:

1. Parkinson's disease - the hands are shaking hard enough, not only under stress, but even in sleep. The asynchrony of the jitter of the right and left hands is possible: one of the hands trembles more strongly. Also often shaking shoulders, head, lips.
2. Multiple sclerosis ( due to the deposition of autoimmune complexes in nervous structures, is more common in young patients).
3. Essential tremor is a hereditary disease in which the hands tremble, fingers, neck, lower jaw, and sometimes even a voice. It occurs when performing simple, but exacting, movements with hands( shaving, bringing a spoon to your mouth).Tremor is postural and is strengthened when stretching the arms in front of you. Trembling increases with physical activity, stress and fatigue.
4. Thyrotoxicosis ( due to improper functioning of the thyroid gland the metabolism of potassium in the muscles worsens, and because of this the hands are shaking).
5. Damage to the cerebellum , which is responsible for the coordination of movements, is accompanied by a tremor of limbs during active movements and when trying to keep them in a static position.
6. Alcohol tremor .It manifests when the form of the disease is neglected. This is the trembling of the divorced fingers, head, whole body. Occurs in the morning in a hangover state. After drinking, alcohol usually decreases or disappears altogether. The same goes for withdrawal from drug addiction.
7. In people with diabetes, the tremor can be associated with a decrease in blood glucose, and after taking the sweet it disappears.

Many patients with this problem believe that this is a trifling symptom that it is treated very simply, they think that the doctor will prescribe a remedy for the tremor and all will go away at once. However, the treatment of tremor involves the therapy of pathology, which manifests itself by the trembling of the hands.

However, the diagnosis of a disease that causes tremors can be quite a challenge, therefore an accurate syndromal description of tremor is crucial for its solution. When making a diagnosis, the doctor conducts a detailed questioning of the patient and a visual examination. In case of difficulty, the patient is referred for additional diagnostic procedures.

Diagnostics

For differential diagnostics of physiological and pathological tremor, anamnesis is often enough. With pathological tremor, a more detailed examination is needed:

• Neurological examination;
• Laboratory research methods for the presence of endocrine pathologies;
• CT, MRI of the brain.

Compulsory treatment should be given to people whose finger tremor is a consequence of:

• drinking alcohol;
• long-term stress and emotional stress;
• of cervical osteochondrosis;
• multiple sclerosis;
• cerebellar lesions;
• of Parkinson's disease.

To clarify the diagnosis, you need to perform functional tests, each of which allows you to determine the different characteristics of the tremor:

• Pull out your hands in front of you and fix them for a while - in the pathology of the cerebellum appears postural tremor( depends on the posture).
• The patient is asked to bring a cup filled with water to his lips - this is determined by intentional tremor( movement towards a specific target)

The most accessible method for determining the tremor amplitude of brushes at home is the method using a blank sheet of paper on which it is necessary to draw a spiral.

What should I do when my hands are shaking?

If you notice that you have a tremor from time to time, visit a therapist. He will have to prescribe a test and send to other specialists for further consultation( more often to a neurologist).Tremor can have a different nature, which must be determined. And use the appropriate treatment, and when the tremor is only one of the manifestations of a certain disease, then, having engaged in close therapy, he will "go away" himself.

If there were no organic disorders in the survey, then at home, follow these guidelines to get rid of hand tremors:

1. Take sedatives of plant origin( tincture of motherwort, peony, valerian and others, periodically changing the drug).
2. Avoid stressful situations, learn to remove some problems from yourself, master the technique of relaxation.
3. Observe normal sleep and rest.
4. Refuse alcohol and smoking.
5. Reduce the use of caffeine to a minimum.
6. If you have a tremor, take something heavy in your hands( weighting helps to shake).

As additional stimuli to combat tremor, it is recommended to develop fine motor skills, learn to weave beads, knit and crochet, macrame, fold origami, cut wood. Swimming has a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system, so with a constant physiological or pathological tremor, you can visit the pool several times a week to improve your condition.

Any drug, starting with nonselective beta-blockers and ending with drugs against seizures, should be prescribed by a doctor according to individual tolerability, since many drugs that act on the central nervous system have side effects.

Pathological tremor of the hands requires more thorough treatment, with the use of medications or surgical intervention.

Prevention

Preventive measures include:

1. Sports activities.
2. Compliance with the regime of work and rest.
3. Relaxing bath with lavender oil before bedtime.
4. Restriction of the use of spicy and salty dishes.
5. Exclusion from the diet of alcohol, tobacco, drugs and other provoking factors.

You do not have to be shy about your condition and postpone your visit to the doctor. Modern methods can prevent the progression of the disease or completely rid it of it. It is enough just to trust a qualified specialist!