In what cases is hand tremors a symptom of a serious illness?

Causes of tremor

Everyone is familiar with tremors in their hands, one way or another. Young people, when they are very worried, cannot cope with tremor of their fingers. Separately, we can talk about tremor in people suffering from alcohol addiction. Both reasons are temporary, and when you get rid of the source of worries and addictions, clarity of movements returns. But when it comes to neurological diseases, you cannot do without the help of a specialist and strong special medications.

Medicines aimed at treating tremor are, first of all, designed not to relax the arm muscles, but to free the patient from the cause that causes trembling of the limbs. If it is caused by nervous excitability, the medicine must be selected that can bring the nervous system into order.

There are a number of natural causes that cause hand tremors. These include:

• Multiple sclerosis, which occurs sooner or later in most older people.
• Progression of Parkinson's disease, in which shaking of the limbs can be observed not only during the day, but also at night during the patient's sleep. This disease is characterized by unilateral tremor: on the right or left side of the body.
• Increased attention and the need to perform precise, delicate work using fine motor skills. For example, while threading a sewing needle, your hands suddenly begin to tremble.
• Some thyroid diseases lead to hormonal imbalance affecting metabolic processes in the body. As a result, thyrotoxicosis occurs - a phenomenon accompanied by tremor.
• Damage to the cerebellum, which can occur for various reasons, affects coordination of movements. With varying degrees of damage, both mild dizziness and tremors of the limbs may occur.
• Osteochondrosis, localized in the thoracic region and cervical vertebrae, is another cause of trembling in the hands.
• Alcoholism is a common cause of tremors in physically healthy people. Such trembling spreads not only to the hands, but also to the head, lips and leg muscles.
• Diabetes mellitus is another source of spontaneous shaking. It appears when blood sugar levels drop.

On the psychological side, we can distinguish those that cause tremor:

• Emotional overstrain against the backdrop of vivid experiences. Most often found in schoolchildren and students taking exams.
• Exhaustion of the body as a result of strict diets with simultaneous heavy physical activity.
• A sharp change in lifestyle. This may include a change of team, type of activity, divorce, relocation.

Each condition has its own method of drug treatment.

General information

This disorder is one of the most common. Often members of the same family suffer from tremors. It can be relatively mild or very severe and malignant. Muscles can contract quite sharply. Palpitations, sweating, muscle pain, weakness, etc. occur.

It's not just adults who suffer from tremors. Children also sometimes experience this phenomenon, but it happens much less frequently. Intrauterine tremor also occurs. Most often, tremor in children is associated with a hereditary predisposition or trauma, including birth. It is important for parents to see the pathology as soon as it appears. Then the treatment will bring maximum effect.

Tremor may appear suddenly, but the disease that caused it takes a long time to develop. The risk group is older people. Among them is the highest percentage of cases. In the elderly, degenerative processes of the brain progress quite strongly. The first symptom is slight trembling when exerting yourself or changing posture. It is older people who most often suffer from Parkinson's syndrome. They experience a decrease in mental activity, involuntary trembling of the limbs and face. Over time, the shaking intensifies and reaches its peak. Degenerative processes can develop rapidly. The structure of brain tissue changes. Tachycardia may occur.

Diagnosis of tremor

To make an accurate diagnosis, you will need to undergo a series of examinations. The process is easily accelerated if the patient guesses what exactly triggered the disease, for example, when he admits to alcohol abuse or long-term smoking.

Otherwise, blood tests describing the state of the endocrine system, CT and MRI of the brain, examination by a neurologist, and even a conversation with a psychiatrist may be prescribed.

Genetic testing may be performed to identify a hereditary predisposition to limb tremors. In this case, only symptomatic therapy will help.

Actions

If a person is shaking, you can even notice it visually. In such cases, what to do should be decided by the doctor. You can cope on your own only if we are talking about the physiological form of tremor. It occurs when overexertion, excessive anxiety, fatigue, or exposure to stressful situations.

When tremor appears, the causes and treatment will be interrelated. If trembling occurs, you should definitely tell your doctor about it. A comprehensive diagnosis may be required. The doctor’s task is to find out what specific species he is dealing with and why it appeared. Most often, it is necessary to detect the underlying disease that caused the tremor. This is the competence of a neurologist.

Then a treatment plan is developed. It is important to eliminate not only the trembling itself, but also to fight its cause. Correct diagnosis and competent therapy often help to significantly improve the quality of life.

List of drugs for hand tremors

Neurologists divide medications that can relieve uncontrollable tremors in the limbs into several groups:

• Anticonvulsants that inhibit nervous system processes.
• Inhibitors that weaken nerve impulses.
• Antidepressants that restore emotional background.
• Nootropics that provide active blood circulation in the brain.

You can get rid of tremors on your own only in cases where the tremors are caused by stress, anxiety or a bad habit. In all other cases, it will be possible to get rid of the problem only after consultation with a qualified specialist.

The most common types

Most often found:

• Hand tremors. Only the fingers or the entire hand may tremble. It all depends on how affected the central nervous system is. In severe cases, the forearm is involved, rarely the shoulder area.
• Leg tremors. At first, trembling is observed if there is no support under the foot. As the disease progresses, visible trembling occurs in the ankle. She goes up to her knee. In severe cases, the shaking is so severe that it becomes difficult for the person to move.
• Head tremor. At first, the eyelids and lips twitch. Then the chin and head are added. The patient can shake his head up and down, left and right, or even the amplitude affects all planes.
• Body tremors. Gradually the whole body is involved. The thoracic region, abdomen may join, and trembling appears in the sternum. Because of this, muscles ache, intercostal neuralgia may develop, and neurosis appears. When the chest joins, this is a clear sign that the patient's condition is deteriorating. Shortness of breath, chills, and sweat appear. Internal organs are under constant tension. The body is in good shape. Relief does not come at night; such patients find it difficult to sleep. Every night they wait anxiously.

Antidepressants as a treatment for tremors

Antidepressants are strictly prescription drugs. Uncontrolled use can cause a number of other problems, so it is important not only to get a prescription for the drug, but also to regularly visit your doctor to assess the dynamics of the condition and its control.

Such medications are used when a person has experienced an irreparable event that has greatly changed their life. Often the mental state is disturbed after the death of someone close, revealed betrayal, or as a result of loss of housing. Emotional people find it difficult to cope with stress, which is why they develop various mental disorders due to their experiences. Antidepressants help a person cope with stress and restore a normal lifestyle. Often these medications are taken simultaneously with a visit to a psychotherapist.

Conventionally, all antidepressants can be divided into two groups:

1. Medicines that help cope with hyperactivity, normalize sleep and relieve obsessive anxiety.
2. Medicines that help get rid of apathy and restore interest in life.

Due to the fact that hand tremors are predominantly a problem of high excitability and nervous condition, medications from the first group of antidepressants are most often prescribed to get rid of it.

Symptoms, manifestation

Physiological tremor. It can occur in almost any person. This is a rapid shaking of the eyelids, hands, and head. Visible symptoms are observed with muscle activity, coldness, tension, severe agitation, and fatigue. Such tremors can be easily cured. Sometimes it is enough to eliminate the source of stress, get a good night's sleep, and establish a balanced diet.

Drug. It is triggered by certain medications. These include euphilin, caffeine, lithium drugs, glucocorticosteroids, antidepressants, antipsychotics, etc.

Alcoholism manifests itself in characteristic trembling of the hands, fingers, tongue, and facial muscles. In men, such manifestations occur more often than in women.

Senility manifests itself in a mixture of trembling of the hands, head, and lower jaw. In this case, human movements are greatly impaired.

Mercury is associated with mercury poisoning. It is observed at rest and intensifies with movement. The attack starts from the face, then moves to the limbs.

Hysterical occurs during hysteria and is characterized by the presence of rhythm and amplitude. It can be in the form of attacks or observed constantly. If a person experiences a powerful psychological impact, the trembling intensifies.

If the cerebellum is affected, intention tremor is observed. This is a rhythmic oscillation of the limbs at the moment when a person brings them closer to some goal. It is very significant when, when trying to touch the tip of the nose, a person’s hands begin to tremble. This phenomenon may intensify if he is holding something heavy.

An essential type of tremor appears at moments when a person performs certain actions or simply tries to maintain a position or posture. Trembling can be symmetrical, bilateral, or asymmetrical. It often also affects the head, jaw, legs, and vocal cords. At the same time, intelligence is preserved. Often this type is inherited.

Trembling can be constant (with Parkinson's disease) or episodic (accompanying severe anxiety, nervous exhaustion, physical overload, insomnia).

The trembling can be small or widespread. In the latter case, the patient is not even able to put a spoon into his mouth. His condition sometimes reaches the point of fainting.

Traditional methods

Home treatment must be agreed upon or prescribed by the attending physician. Therapy includes:

• Contrast water procedures that strengthen local immunity and improve blood circulation;
• Chewing tansy flowers;
• Decoction of herbs mint, lemon balm, motherwort, linden, peony;
• Tincture of Tibetan lofanta flowers;
• Oat decoction;
• Taking baths with sage;
• Massage with aromatic oils.

Treatment is medicinal

Therapeutic treatment is prescribed based on the source of tremor:

• To treat stress and depression, sedatives and sedatives are prescribed;
• In the treatment of tremor in the upper extremities, beta-alrenobolic agents are used to reduce the degree, frequency and strength of tremors;
• Injections with drugs based on botulinum toxin-A help reduce tremor;
• Honey anticonvulsant drugs.

Neurosurgical intervention occurs when taking medications does not produce the expected effect or hand tremors greatly reduce simple life processes. But stereotactic thalamotomy can cause deterioration in speech function, swallowing, and disability.

Therapeutic diet

Drawing up a proper nutrition plan has a beneficial effect on a person’s entire life activity.

A balanced diet includes:

• Meat products containing creatine to increase muscle mass;
• Chicken eggs and other products containing lecithin, vitamin D, which normalizes the activity of the nervous system;
• Boiled chicken and mackerel meat, buckwheat, almonds to restore muscle tissue;
• Fruits and juices for a complete enrichment of muscle tissue proteins;
• Dairy and fermented milk products reduce the sensation of muscle pain;
• Orange fruits and vegetables help relieve nervous tension.

In some cases, the method of complete therapeutic fasting is used, during which the patient is in a medical institution. Fasting helps to renew cellular structure, improve metabolic processes, cleanse the body, and reduce spasms in tissues and muscles.