Essential Tremor How to treat?

Written by: Dr. Alex Gironell
Published:
Edited by: Top Doctors®

Essential Tremor is the most common movement disorder in humans and its prevalence is 10 to 20 times that of Parkinson's disease. This chronic disease affects 2% of the population, 5% of which is diagnosed in over 65 years. Commonly usually applies the term "benign" to Essential Tremor, a fact that can lead to confusion because many disabled patients are psychological, physical or social level. Some patients even they become totally disabled.

 

Causes Essential Tremor

Although the main cause of essential tremor is unknown, the existence of a hereditary component with an autosomal dominant pattern indicates that probably exist patient's family affected by the quake. It also assumes that the source of Essential Tremor is in the malfunction of a brain circuit located in the area of ​​the thalamus and cerebellum.

 

Essential Tremor symptoms

The patient may have trembling hands, head tremor, tremor in the voice, in the trunk or legs. The most common symptom is trembling hands and occurs in 95% of patients diagnosed. This tremor occurs when some everyday activity is performed as drinking water, eating, take away, etc. Instead, when you are sleeping or sitting on the couch, tremor disappears.

Symptoms usually appear around age 60, although less frequently can occur at age 20. Generally, in the onset of disease symptoms they are mild and the intensity increases slowly and gradually.

 

Essential Tremor: Treatment

There are different medications that improve by more than 50% the amplitude of tremor. Essential Tremor can also be treated by a botulinum toxin that is very useful in shaking of the head and voice. For severe cases, surgery is available with deep brain stimulation of the thalamus core technique is similar to that used in Parkinson's disease. You can also use the focal ultrasound technique using MRI, which allows surgery without surgery.Common sense of specialists in Neurology is another very important in treating Essential Tremor factor since, in many cases, the risk of a drug or procedure exceeds the benefits.

 

Prevention Essential Tremor

Since the genes responsible for Essential Tremor unknown, currently can not prevent. However, you can take certain precautions.When occurs in young patients, it is advised that seek to circumvent professions in which the pulse is very important because the disease is chronic. Also, avoid stimulants found in coffee, tea and some soft drinks, as they can increase the tremor and also recommended to be careful with the intake of drugs used for other conditions that may exacerbate the quake.

*Translated with Google translator. We apologize for any imperfection
Dr. Alex Gironell

By Dr. Alex Gironell
Neurology

Dr. Gironell is a recognized expert in Movement Disorders neurologist specializing in Parkinson's disease, parkinsonism and essential tremor, which is part of the Parkinson Unit Teknon Medical Center. 25 years of experience speaks for itself. Coordinates a team of psychologists and psychiatrists who perform clinical hypnosis as a therapy for neurological disorders functional (psychosomatic, dissociative, conversive). Doctorate in Medicine and Surgery from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, ​​has participated in numerous research specialty. Throughout his career, he served as professor at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (acts as associate faculty of Medicine) and the University of Barcelona teaching different subjects. In addition, it has also taken various courses. He has been president of the Catalan Society of Neurology (2008-2010). He is a member of various medical societies and regular at national and international conferences.

*Translated with Google translator. We apologize for any imperfection


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