On the off chance that you're yet to appreciate the consequence of having steady hands, you might begin to if you ever experience shaky hands. It can make even the simplest tasks hugely frustrating. Shaky hands are popularly known as a hand tremor. Hand tremors are not always life-threatening, but it can be a sign of some neurological and degenerative conditions. There are many reasons your hands are shaking.
The severity of hand tremor varies from person to person, and it may become especially pronounced when you stretch your hand away from your body. Though hand tremor is a movement disorder that mostly affects the hand, it can affect other areas of the body like the legs, head, arms and even the torso.
Additionally, hand tremors can be constant. So constant that you struggle to do basic things like writing or even holding a mug or a cup of coffee. And sometimes they are few and far between. Either way, you should see your doctor if you notice your hands have started to shake.
How Many Types of Tremor Exist?
There are many kinds of tremors, but they are largely lumped into two groups.
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Resting tremor
As the name implies, resting tremor happens when your hand are doing nothing, completely at rest. Usually, you notice the shake start from your fingers when they're idle by your side or on your laps. Resting tremor is prevalent in people with Parkinson’s disease. Another name for it is “pill-rolling” because when the fingers start to shake it happens in small circular motions.
Action tremor happens with the voluntary movement of a muscle. They are sub-classified into different groups like postural tremor, kinetic tremor, intention tremor, task-specific tremor, and Isometric tremor.
Kinetic tremor is associated with voluntary movements, while Intention tremor happens during a deliberate movement towards an object. And for postural tremors, they happen when a person's movement defies gravity, like outstretching your arm. While Task-specific tremor overlaps with Intention tremor
Reasons your hands are shaking
The reasons can be mostly classified into two divisions. They are neurological conditions and movement disorders. Also, there are other reasons for the two divisions.
Neurological conditions
Neurological conditions that can bring about shaky hands include the following.
People with Multiple Sclerosis often experience tremors. Multiple Sclerosis targets several systems in the body including the immune system, nerves, brain, and spinal cord. And all of this can bring about some measure of tremor. The condition attacks Myelin in your nerves, which is responsible for the tremors in your fingers.
Stroke is a brain disease. This happens when blood flow to the brain is reduced or blocked. A blood clot is mostly responsible for such a blockage. And when the brain doesn't get the oxygen it needs to function properly, the brain cells begin to die off. A person suffering from stroke can get tremors.
When certain nerves in the brain sustain any physical injuries, the person may experience tremors. This is because the brain is partly responsible for coordinating a person's physical movements.
Although not all people with Parkinson's disease experience tremors it is a leading cause. Parkinson's tremor can affect the chin, lips face and legs. And the tremor starts in one area of the body before spreading. If it starts in one limb, it might cross to the other as the disease progresses. According to a study, 25 per cent of people suffering from Parkinson's disease also experiences tremors one way or another.
Movement disorders
The following movement disorders can bring about tremors.
Essential tremor is a popular movement disorder. Usually, they affect both sides of the body, but it may be more pronounced in the hand you use more. Some experts say it can be very specific. It might make your head move in a yes or no motion. According to Pinky Agarwal, M.D., a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and a clinical professor of neurology at the University of Washington, “In some people it can be very specific. That means an essential tremor may get worse when you’re doing an action like bringing up a cup of water to your mouth, writing a note, or using your computer.”
When the brain sends incorrect messages, it causes dystonia and the resulting reactions are overactive muscles, abnormal postures, unwanted movements.
Other reasons
- Alcohol withdrawal
- Mercury poisoning
- Kidney failure
- Anxiety
- Psychiatric conditions
- Inherited degenerative disorders like fragile X syndrome.
- Overactive thyroid
- Drugs (Asthma medicines, caffeine, corticosteroids, and amphetamines).
Bottom line
There are varying reasons your hands are shaking, with age being one of them. When you notice this, please see your doctor.
Source: WebMD
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