Hand Tremors in Young Adults

The condition of hand tremors in young people or in the elderly, as the name suggests, is characterized by sudden involuntary, shaking movements that occur in one or both hands. As mentioned earlier, it may have two possible causes behind it - essential tremor or Parkinson's disease. And in order to determine the causal factor, identifying the symptoms is important. So the following description presents to you with two scenarios that explains symptoms when essential tremor is behind the condition, and symptoms that occur when Parkinson's disease is the culprit.

What Could Cause Hand Tremors?

When is Essential Tremor the Cause?
With essential tremor, the most obvious symptom is the involuntary shaky movements that may occur in one or both the hands. These get worse when the hands are being used for any purpose such as holding a cup or a pen, drinking, eating, shaving, using a cell phone, and the like. Experts have noticed that the rapid movements occur more than 5 times a second. And an important fact is, such symptoms become less noticeable when the hands are at rest. That is why the condition is also known as action-related tremor. It worsens with age, and usually gets aggravated by factors such as exposure to emotionally stressful situations, fatigue, exposure to too hot or too cold temperatures, and drinking caffeine-based products. Also, if essential tremor is the underlying cause of hand tremors, then it would be accompanied by head nodding, shaking or quivering voice, and shaking arms or legs. This condition, although can affect people of any age, it is more common in adults over 65 years of age.

Essential tremor is an idiopathic condition, meaning it does not have any specific cause known to medical experts as of now. However, it is assumed that in most cases it could be an outcome of genetic mutation in the affected person. To add to this, the condition does not give rise to any other complications in the body, except the shaky movements thus, is not regarded as a life-threatening medical problem.

Medical Diagnosis
Medical experts do not follow a dedicated protocol to diagnose essential tremor. Most doctors run through a medical history check of the patient's and his/her family to determine if the condition runs in the family. The diagnosis is done by ruling out other medical conditions (such as Parkinson's disease) that could be responsible for causing the symptoms of hand tremors. For this, the patient might be put through an exam to monitor the neurological condition of the patient, urine tests, blood tests, tests to evaluate the status of the tremors, computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

When is Parkinson's Disease the Cause?
Parkinson's disease in young adults is also a less common occurrence when compared with that in the elderly. It is a neurological problem that worsens with time. Its characteristic tremors or shaking often begins in one hand. However, the tremors occur when the hands are in a resting position, and tend to reduce with any movement. Note that, one may suspect Parkinson's disease as the culprit of the hand tremors if accompanied by other physical changes such as slowing of motion, muscles going stiff, limited movement, weakness of throat and facial muscles, stooped posture, and improper gait. Also, unlike essential tremor, this condition does not affect the head or the voice of the patient.

Even with Parkinson's disease, doctors have not been able to bring any specific cause under light. Assumptions are, factors such as genetic mutations, and exposure to toxins or certain viral infections could be the possible contributing factors.

Medical Diagnosis
Given the fact that the symptoms of Parkinson's could be caused by several other types of underlying problems, there is no definite way to establish a diagnosis of the condition. Similar to that of essential tremor, even here the patient is asked to present his/her medical history and that of the family's, and undergo a neurological exam. The patient could also be given a drug called levodopa. If the drug helps in reducing the symptoms, then the diagnosis would most likely point towards Parkinson's disease.

To conclude, depending on the symptoms of the hand tremors, one may have an idea about what's causing the problem. However, to be specific, a medical visit would be necessary. And as obvious it is, the treatment would involve attending to the particular cause. For both the causes, it may involve the use of medications, physical therapy, and surgery. However, the approach of the treatment may differ. To add to this, patients with essential tremor, are advised to avoid caffeine, limit alcohol, practice relaxation techniques, and take adequate rest. While those with Parkinson's disease, may do well if they follow a nutritionally balanced diet, walk with care thus, avoiding falls, and work closely with an occupational therapist.