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What Do Tremors In Hands While Eating Suggest?
Question: I am a 76 year old male in good health and fairly active. Lately I've noticed that my hands, and especially my right hand, shake when I am doing certain things. Most notable when I am eating. What is the cause of this and is there anything that I can do to stop it.
Brief Answer:
maybe essential tremor
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
Tremors can essentially be classified in most cases as resting or action tremors.
Resting tremors occur when the body part is at complete rest against gravity eg hand resting on leg or table and trembling.
Action/Kinetic tremors occur when during voluntary movement. Since you are noticing the tremor when doing things, it is likely an action tremor.
The causes of action tremor are: (1)essential tremor- one of the more common causes. May be a family history
(2)parkinson's disease like symptoms caused by medications
(3)metabolic causes- eg high thyroid hormone, low blood sugar
(4)withdrawal of alcohol,exposure to other toxins
(5)neuropathic tremor- due to underlying nerve disease
(6)side effect of medication- there are a lot of medications that may worsen the body's normal physiologic tremor (Expected small tremor)
Since essential tremor is the most common cause then this may be the reason for your tremor but it is only considered if all other causes are ruled out first.
This means that you should be assessed for the other possible causes mentioned.
This is done by through history, examination and possible imaging (depends on examination findings).
If it is essential tremor then the use of a beta blocker would help. This is a family of drugs that is used for different conditions including tremors.
Summary: (1) different possible causes
(2)cause can be found by careful history and examination by your doctor
(3)may be essential tremor since this is very common
(4)if this is the case then the use of a beta blocker med would help
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
maybe essential tremor
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
Tremors can essentially be classified in most cases as resting or action tremors.
Resting tremors occur when the body part is at complete rest against gravity eg hand resting on leg or table and trembling.
Action/Kinetic tremors occur when during voluntary movement. Since you are noticing the tremor when doing things, it is likely an action tremor.
The causes of action tremor are: (1)essential tremor- one of the more common causes. May be a family history
(2)parkinson's disease like symptoms caused by medications
(3)metabolic causes- eg high thyroid hormone, low blood sugar
(4)withdrawal of alcohol,exposure to other toxins
(5)neuropathic tremor- due to underlying nerve disease
(6)side effect of medication- there are a lot of medications that may worsen the body's normal physiologic tremor (Expected small tremor)
Since essential tremor is the most common cause then this may be the reason for your tremor but it is only considered if all other causes are ruled out first.
This means that you should be assessed for the other possible causes mentioned.
This is done by through history, examination and possible imaging (depends on examination findings).
If it is essential tremor then the use of a beta blocker would help. This is a family of drugs that is used for different conditions including tremors.
Summary: (1) different possible causes
(2)cause can be found by careful history and examination by your doctor
(3)may be essential tremor since this is very common
(4)if this is the case then the use of a beta blocker med would help
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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