If you have a neurological disorder, turn to the NYC medical team that will help you maintain your health. Call 877-465-7360 for an appointment.
Your body may twitch or shake for several reasons. For instance, consuming too much caffeine can lead to jitters, and your hands may shake from fear or excitement. However, some shakes result from neurological tremors, which develop due to issues with your central nervous system.
At Medical Clinics of New York City, we offer exceptional treatment for various neurological conditions in our offices throughout the city. We provide quality care and unmatched customer service to provide personalized treatment plans for every patient. We rank as NYC’s trusted neurologist with years of experience helping residents manage their neurological tremors.
Below, we share details about different tremors, their causes, and other essential details.
Different Types of Tremors
Because tremors have different causes and appearances, they can fall into several categories. Let’s review some of the typical tremor types.
Essential Tremor
The most common movement disorder is the essential tremor, which could be mild with no progression or moderate with worsening symptoms. Essential tremors usually affect both sides of the body and do not stem from a specific disease.
Parkinsonian Tremor
People often assume those with neurological tremors have Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s refers to a condition that usually develops in people around 60 years old due to the lack of dopamine in the basal ganglia in the brain. Unlike essential tremors, which produce movement on both sides of the body, Parkinson’s tremors start on one side of the body and move to the other.
Functional Tremor
A functional tremor involves the sudden onset and remission of involuntary movement and changes in the tremors’ direction within various body parts. However, distraction usually leads to decreased movements. People with functional tumors typically have a psychological condition that generates physical symptoms.
Dystonic Tremor
Individuals with dystonia will have dystonic tremors. Dystonia is a movement disorder that produces involuntary muscle spasms.
The repetitious movements can begin at any age and follow an irregular pattern. Complete rest can bring relief.
Causes of Essential Tremors
Though the cause of the condition has no association with a specific disease, doctors and researchers assume the tremors develop from unusual electrical activity in the brain’s thalamus. The thalamus is the body’s relay center. It sends motor and sensory information to the cerebral cortex.
The condition is hereditary. Half of the people with essential tremors develop them due to their genes. These individuals have a 50% chance of passing the neurological tremors to their children.
Unfortunately, no definitive explanation exists for why people develop essential tremors without a familial link. The only known risk factors for these neurological tremors include altered genes and age. People will more likely to develop the condition when over 40 years old.
Common Symptoms of Essential Tremors and Their Characteristics
If you develop essential tremors, you will likely shake or tremble in various body parts at different times in varying situations. The condition is not the same for everyone. Typical symptoms of these neurological tremors include:
- Head nodding
- A quivering speech if you have an affected voice box
- Difficulty drinking from cups, writing, and using tools requiring the use of your hands
Essential tremors have varying characteristics. Your involuntary movements may:
- Fluctuate daily but worsen with age
- Worsen with caffeine, a lack of rest, certain medicines, and stress
- Improve slightly with mild alcohol consumption
- Occur more often when you move
- Affect both sides of your body differently
Despite the lack of information about the origins of essential tremors, they are not life-threatening. However, the condition will worsen over time, resulting in the inability to:
- Put on makeup
- Shave
- Hold cups without spilling anything
- Eat without involuntary movements
- Talk if the spasms reach your tongue or voicebox
- Write legibly
Treatment Options for Neurological Tremors
Because neurological tremors develop due to issues within the brain, you will require a diagnosis from a neurologist or movement disorder specialist. During the examination, the medical professional will consider other possible causes behind the tremors, including medication side effects and high caffeine consumption.
If you have essential tremors, you may have several treatments. Mild symptoms usually don’t require treatment, but you might explore your options if the shaking and trembling cause problems in your everyday life or if you want help managing the movements in social situations.
Medication
Some medications can minimize the presence of neurological tremors. For instance, beta blockers for high blood pressure can provide relief for some people who don’t have heart problems or asthma. Other medications include anti-seizure drugs, which work for individuals who can’t take beta blockers or don’t respond to them well.
Tranquilizers are sometimes ideal for people with neurological tremors that worsen with anxiety or stress. Some movements that develop within the hands, head, or voice box can benefit from Botox injections, lasting up to three months.
Surgery
Disabling essential tremors may require surgery like deep brain stimulation. As the most common procedure for neurological tremors, it involves a long electrical probe that surgeons insert into your brain and run a wire from the thalamus to a neurostimulator implant in your chest. The device transmits electrical pulses into the brain to disrupt thalamus signals that cause tremors.
Another surgery option is focused ultrasound thalamotomy. This non-invasive procedure uses focused soundwaves that travel into the skull from outside the body. The waves are strong enough to destroy the brain tissue in the thalamus, but the lesion they create can permanently alter brain function.
Receive the Best Neurological Tremor Treatment From NYC’s Best Medical Team
Whether you’re seeing a neurologist for a work-related injury or experiencing symptoms of a common movement disorder, finding a reliable neurologist is essential for your care. Medical Clinics of New York City is the go-to destination for reliable treatment of neurological tremors.
Our skilled neurologists take a patient-first approach to provide the best care at our Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Bronx offices. We provide comprehensive services in a compassionate, stress-free environment. Our doctors accept most health insurance plans, including workers’ compensation and no-fault insurance.
Request more information about our medical offices in New York or schedule an appointment by calling 877-465-7360.
