Tremor

Broader Terms

abnormal involuntary movement

Facts

• Tremor is involuntary trembling in part of the body.
• Essential tremor is a neurological disorder characterized by shaking of hands (and sometimes other parts of the body including the head), evoked by intentional movements.
• Tremor is the rhythmic, oscillating shaking movement of the whole body or just a certain part of it, caused by problems of the neurons responsible from muscle action.
• Simple kinetic tremor is associated with movement of extremities.
• The only difference between essential tremor and familial tremor is that in the latter, there is a family history with tremor being present in other generations, whereas in essential tremor, there is not.
• Neurological disorders that produce tremor are multiple sclerosis, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative diseases that damage or destroy parts of the brainstem or the cerebellum. However, some drugs (such as amphetamines, corticosteroids, and drugs used for certain psychiatric disorders), alcohol abuse or withdrawal, mercury poisoning, overactive thyroid, or liver failure could also cause tremor.
• Some forms of tremor are inherited and run in families, while others have no known cause.