What is a tremor?
A tremor is an involuntary and repetitive movement of some body part. Tremors commonly impact hands, arms, or legs, but can also impact less obvious body parts such as your head or your voice.
Different types of tremors
“Resting” or “Static” tremors occur when muscles are relaxed and not in use. There are also “Intention” or “Kinetic” tremors which typically occur just as someone is starting a purposeful movement such as buttoning a button or beginning to write.
“Postural” or “Action” tremors occur after sustained muscle effort that is resisting the force of gravity. This may include holding something with your arms up or simple standing for a length of time.
What causes tremors?
Tremors can occur for a multitude of reasons and can impact both quality of life and ability to perform at work. Moreover, tremors are easily exacerbated by stress. They are often a sign of an underlying neurological and/or medical problem and they should never be ignored.
Who can get tremors?
While they are more common in older individuals, tremors can occur at any age. Some causes for tremors include medication side effects, alcohol withdrawal, muscle weakness, overactive thyroid functioning, Parkinson’s Disease, stroke, and tumors in the brain. Once better evaluated and understood, there are many treatment options for the various underlying causes of tremors.
How to treat tremors
There are several practical things you can do manage or even lessen them including using relaxation techniques, limiting caffeine intake, and making sure you are getting enough quality sleep. However, if the tremors are impacting your quality of life and ability to function at work or home, you may benefit from a neurological evaluation.
Neurological evaluations for tremors
A neurological evaluation can assist with determining the causes of tremors. Relatedly, if you experience other changes in mental function along with tremors, it’s a good idea to have a trained professional evaluate your cognitive (brain) functioning. Symptoms such as persistent headaches, confusion, difficulties concentrating, or other difficult-to-control movements can often occur alongside tremors.
A neuropsychological assessment can help determine what may be causing or contributing to these difficulties. Once they are more clearly understood, a trained professional will be able to guide you to find relevant resources, therapies, or supports that may be necessary.
If you or a loved one are experiencing tremors and would like to discuss how a neuropsychological assessment would help, please reach out to us today. The team at Chicagoland Neuropsychology will ensure that your questions are answered.