Stop Shaking: Eliminating Essential Tremors Without Surgery

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Do you experience hands shaking so severely that you cannot read your own handwriting? This experience may be the disorder essential tremor (ET), which has some similar symptoms as Parkinson’s disease(PD)⁽¹⁾. Experts estimate that a maximum of 10 million Americans has essential tremors⁽²⁾.

Some people with essential tremors are searching for non-surgical methods to stop their shaking hands. Plant-based options such as cannabidiol (CBD) may provide relief of nerve pain caused by neurological conditions.

Doctors may order radiological scans of the brain’s structure to help diagnose essential tremors effectively.

Studies show that certain brain structures may be connected to PD or essential tremors. Such brain disorders may also be related to a possible connection between gut bacteria and mood.

What Are Essential Tremors?

Essential tremor is a neurological disorder involving the human nervous system. Symptoms include involuntary and rhythmic shaking⁽³⁾.

ET can affect any body part but most frequently occurs in the hands⁽⁴⁾. Hand-shaking may happen when doing tasks such as drinking from a glass, holding a spoon, or tying shoelaces.

Essential tremor typically is not a dangerous health condition. However, it may worsen and sometimes become severe⁽⁵⁾.

People sometimes confuse essential tremors with Parkinson’s disease. However, other health conditions do not cause essential tremors. Around ten times more Americans have essential tremors than Parkinson’s disease⁽⁶⁾.

You can learn more about ET at the International Essential Tremor Foundation (IETF).

Here are some non-surgical methods that can treat ET or relieve its symptoms without surgery.

Focused Ultrasound

In 2016, the U.S. FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) approved the Exablate Neuro system to treat essential tremors⁽⁷⁾.

The FDA’s approval depended on a study conducted at the University of Virginia⁽⁸⁾. The results showed that 76 patients experienced nearly a 50% improvement in tremors and motor function after three months of treatment⁽⁹⁾.

The FDA described the approval as the first ultrasound device used for treating ET in patients who have not responded to medication⁽¹⁰⁾.

Exablate Neuro functions by using magnetic resonance images (MRI) captured during the procedure to provide focused ultrasound to treat the condition⁽¹¹⁾. It functions by destroying brain tissues that physicians believe are causing the tremors.

The FDA noted that the targeted ultrasound treatment is not a “cure”⁽¹²⁾. Instead, it may improve the patient’s quality of life.

Cannabidiol (CBD)

A rodent study appearing in the Journal of Experimental Medicine examined the potential of cannabinoids to suppress pain produced by inflammation and nerve damage⁽¹³⁾.

Cannabinoids are chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant. The study included CBD, a non-psychoactive (non-mind-altering) chemical found in cannabis plants.

The researchers indicated that CBD seemed to help reduce inflammatory and nerve-related pain⁽¹⁴⁾.

More research is warranted to determine if CBD produces the same effects in humans. CBD may reduce the symptoms of essential tremor as the condition is related to inflammation and nerve pain.

Physical or Occupational Therapies and Exercise

Suppose a doctor has diagnosed you with essential tremor. You can get helpful information at the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (IPMDS). Therapy and exercise may help relieve your symptoms.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists may guide individuals with essential tremors to strengthen muscles and improve coordination⁽¹⁵⁾. Such therapy can help enhance muscle control in many cases.

Before conducting physical therapy, a therapist should conduct an assessment of the patient that includes⁽¹⁶⁾:

The type of tremor
Degree of muscle control
Position in which tremors begin
The muscular strength
The level of functional muscle skill

Research also shows that strengthening exercises for nerve-related pain may somewhat improve muscle strength among people with peripheral neuropathy (PN)⁽¹⁷⁾. PN indicates a problem with the nervous system.

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy can help with the effects of PN that affect vocational, social, and functional factors that impact the condition.

Some of the objectives of occupational therapy include⁽¹⁸⁾:

Teaching on safety issues
Instruction about how to avoid exposure to environmental toxins
Focusing on factors such as dropping blood pressure
Instruction on self-care activities

Physical Exercise

In addition, regular exercise performed for PN may also help reduce pain and control blood sugar levels^(19.). A physical activity routine should include four types of activities including:

Aerobic exercise: Works the muscles, increases the heart rate, and increases the breathing rate.

Strength training exercise: Helps strengthen muscles and make them more injury-resistant.

Flexibility exercise: Also known as stretching, flexibility exercises may help make joints flexible and decrease the risk of injury when doing other physical activities.

Balance exercise: Critical if you have health issues due to illness, such as joint pain, and may help with unsteadiness or stiffness.

Before commencing any exercise program, it is critical to consult your doctor or physical or occupational therapist first. They can help guide you on issues such as specific exercises to do.

If you have other health conditions such as heart issues, then this step is particularly critical.

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

You may also use various non-surgical home and lifestyle remedies for ET, including⁽²⁰⁾:

Limiting alcohol: If possible, you may consider avoiding all alcohol. Some people with ET observe that tremors improve somewhat if they avoid alcohol consumption.

It is noteworthy that the effects of alcohol often worsen after the alcohol’s effects wear off. However, over time, consuming more alcohol is needed later to relieve tremors. However, this action may lead to alcoholism.

Avoiding caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant, which may increase tremors. Other high-caffeinated drinks include sugary sodas, sports, energy drinks, and green tea.

Making lifestyle changes: If one hand is affected more by essential tremors, use that hand less often.

You can also try methods to write less with the tremor-affected hand. They include using debit cards and credit cards rather than writing checks. Use online banking instead of in-person banking.

Try to relax more: Stress and anxiety can worsen tremors, while staying relaxed may help reduce tremors.

Living a stress-free life is impossible. However, you can change how you react to particular stressful situations. Some options include relaxation techniques such as meditation and massage.

Essential Tremors: Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors

Symptoms

Here are some common symptoms of essential tremors⁽²¹⁾:

Worsens due to movement
Typically starts in the hands and affects one or both hands
May include side-to-side (yes-yes) or up-and-down (no-no) head movements
Starts gradually on one side of your body
May worsen with caffeine, stress, fatigue, or extreme temperatures

Causes

More research is needed on the various causes of ET. The known possible causes include⁽²²⁾:

Genetic mutation: Some people inherit a “familial tremor” due to a genetic disorder known as an autosomal dominant disorder. This situation happens when just one parent passes on the condition to their child.

Risk Factors

Here are some of the main risk factors of ET⁽²³⁾:

Parent’s genes: If your parent has a genetic mutation for ET, your chances of developing the disorder is 50%.

Age: ET is more common among people at least 30 years old.

If you believe you may have essential tremors, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor. They can complete an examination and order tests to determine if you have the condition.

Keep in mind that while Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor can produce similar symptoms, they’re two different health conditions.