Seismic Shivers: Classifications, Underlying Causes, and Remedies
Action tremors, a type of body tremor that occurs during voluntary muscle movements, are a common issue affecting many individuals. Two well-recognized categories of action tremors are essential tremor (ET) and cerebellar tremor.
**Essential Tremor (ET): A Common Neurological Disorder**
ET is the most prevalent neurological tremor disorder in adults, often inherited genetically. Its exact cause remains unknown, but it involves dysfunction in motor control circuits. ET primarily affects the hands and arms but can also involve the head, voice, and other body parts. It is characterized by a postural and kinetic tremor, meaning it occurs when maintaining posture or during voluntary movement. ET is a chronic, progressive condition without a cure.
**Cerebellar Tremor: A Result of Cerebellar Pathology**
Cerebellar tremor is caused by damage or dysfunction in the cerebellum or its pathways, typically from stroke, multiple sclerosis, tumor, or degenerative diseases. It usually presents as an intention tremor, which worsens as the person approaches a target during voluntary movement. Cerebellar tremor is also characterized by associated signs of cerebellar dysfunction such as ataxia, dysmetria, and dysdiadochokinesia.
**Treatment Options for Essential Tremor and Cerebellar Tremor**
For essential tremor, treatment options range from conservative management to pharmacological and surgical interventions. Conservative management includes occupational therapy for adaptive devices, speech therapy if vocal tremor affects speech, and patient education regarding trigger avoidance, stress reduction, and improving sleep hygiene. Pharmacological treatment typically involves first-line medications such as beta-blockers and antiepileptics, with alternatives or second-line drugs like topiramate, gabapentin, clonazepam, and other beta-blockers. Surgical treatment is reserved for patients with medically refractory ET who have significant functional impairment and includes deep brain stimulation and MRI-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy.
Cerebellar tremor treatment focuses on managing the underlying cerebellar disease. Physical and occupational therapy aim to improve coordination and reduce functional impairment. Pharmacologic treatments are typically less effective for cerebellar tremor than for ET.
In summary, essential tremor is a common action tremor category with effective symptomatic pharmacological and surgical management options but no cure, whereas cerebellar tremor stems from cerebellar pathology and is managed mainly through rehabilitation and targeting underlying causes. Medical experts classify body tremors into two categories - resting tremors and action tremors. Anyone who experiences body tremors should see a healthcare professional for a diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
- Diabetes, a common health-and-wellness condition, can sometimes lead to symptoms similar to essential tremor, making an accurate diagnosis crucial.
- Copd, a chronic lung disease, is not typically associated with body tremors, but it does share some symptoms with other neurological-disorders, such as multiple sclerosis.
- Predictive algorithms in science can help identify patterns and risks associated with various medical-conditions, including obesity, a leading risk factor for several health problems.
- Alzheimer's disease, a significant neurological-disorder, is characterized by memory loss and cognitive decline, often accompanied by depression, another mental-health issue.
- Sclerosis can affect not only the nervous system but also the brain, leading to disorders like Parkinson's, a degenerative neurological condition characterized by motor symptoms and potential psychological effects.
- Education and self-development resources are available for individuals living with or caring for someone with a medical-condition like multiple sclerosis, promoting personal-growth and emotional wellbeing.
- In addition to action tremors, some neurological-disorders, such as Parkinson's, can also cause resting tremors, which occur when at rest and not during voluntary muscle movements.
- AQ (Autism-Spectrum Quotient) is a self-reported measure used in the understanding and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders, helping medical professionals better understand and support individuals with these conditions.
- Understanding and managing medical-conditions like depression, obesity, and neurological-disorders like essential tremor and Parkinson's, is essential for promoting overall health-and-wellness and enhancing our quality of life.
