Why young people's hands shake: what causes the tremor and how to relieve it

Small involuntary tremors of the hands cause physical and psychological discomfort to a person. Tremor can be a permanent or temporary phenomenon and is based on physiological, medical, and psychological reasons. The treatment of the problem depends on the characteristics of the symptoms.

Many people are interested in: “How can I check that my hands are shaking?” You need to place a sheet of A 4 size paper on your arms extended forward, palms down. A simple technique allows you to clearly see the tremor of not only your hands, but also your fingers.

To determine the intensity of trembling in the limbs, you need to draw a spiral on paper. If the coils are smooth, then the effect of tremor is normal. If the spiral turns out to be jagged, then observation is necessary for two weeks. If the pattern remains unchanged, it is advisable to seek medical help.

About 6% of the world's population periodically faces this problem, but not everyone goes to the doctor. Doctors do not advise thinking that “everything will go away on its own,” it is necessary to find out the cause of the trembling and take the necessary measures.

What is tremor

In fact, small hand tremors or tremors, like rhythmic movements of the limbs, or head, or body, can be a feature of physiology and go away on their own. As a rule, such cases are associated with prolonged hand tension and stress.

If the frequency of repetitions of involuntary muscle contractions, and at the same time the intensity, increases, this is a signal that the body is working in the wrong mode. If attention is not paid to the problem in a timely manner, serious pathologies may develop that can seriously reduce the quality of life or even jeopardize its very existence.

Naturally, tremor is a symptom that can occur in a number of diseases; unfortunately, it is impossible to make a diagnosis based on this symptomatic sign alone, but it is definitely worth thinking about and checking yourself. The upper extremities are most often affected by tremors.

There are many illnesses when hands shake violently...

Various nature of deviation

• by the part of the body in which it occurs (arms, lower extremities, body, head, tongue, voice);
• by the nature of origin (with a relaxed or tense state of muscles; in motion or at rest);
• physiological - in healthy individuals and pathological (as a symptom of a disease).

Mechanisms of tremor occurrence:

• mechanical occurs due to uneven muscle tension, which often depends on the mass of the limb, muscle tone, and the condition of the joints;
• reflex occurs as a reaction to changes in the environment, the nerve impulse switches to the motor nerve, and the hand involuntarily makes a movement.
• tremor associated with pathological changes in the brain ;
• a disorder associated with damage to neural connections in the central nervous system , manifests itself when performing voluntary, purposeful movements.

Based on the nature of their origin, tremor is divided into 3 types:

• statistical or resting tremor manifests itself in a relaxed state, is characteristic of those suffering from Parkinson’s disease, and is not always pathological in nature;
• postural appears when intensively maintaining a certain posture, for example, clenching your palms into a fist;
• intention tremor - occurs during the execution of small movements that require precision (with Wilson-Konovalov disease, multiple sclerosis, tumors).

Based on the vibration frequency, tremor is conventionally divided into 3 groups:

• high frequency (9-12 Hz);
• mid-frequency (5-8 Hz);
• low frequency (3-5 Hz).

Types of tremor

There are several types of tremor.

• Benign

One of the most common motor system disorders. It doesn't express itself very strongly. The disease is familial, juvenile or senile. But in some cases it is difficult. Most often, the occurrence occurs in adolescence, starting, as a rule, with just one hand and gradually moving to the second.

Tremors of the chin, head, or tongue are common. In more rare cases, it affects the torso and legs. A suffering person is still able to hold cutlery and other necessary items.

Exacerbation occurs during emotional stress and after drinking alcohol. Trembling is most pronounced with arms extended forward. Speech may change significantly if tremors affect the laryngeal and tongue muscles. The gait does not change.

In cases where tremor is expressed during severe anxiety, one dose of sedatives with a hypnotic effect is sufficient.

• Intentional

Most often it manifests itself in conjunction with diseases of the cerebellum. It is distinguished by movements that are large-scale. They are absent at rest and occur during movement of the limb, mainly at the end of the movement.

A person susceptible to the disease is unable to reach his nose with his index finger while standing if his eyes are closed.

• Postural

It is very similar to benign and can be inherited. It appears most often during periods of severe anxiety and can accompany thyroid disorders, for example, hyperthyroidism. Then it should be noted that tremors are accompanied by rapid heartbeat, irritability, sweating, sudden changes in weight - weight loss, hair loss.

The endocrine cause of hand shaking is associated not only with the thyroid gland, but also occurs with diabetes mellitus and pregnancy pathologies.

With this type of tremor, there is a high probability of withdrawal symptoms while taking certain medications, products containing alcohol, drugs, or after poisoning with chemicals.

It can be:

1. Drugs prescribed for asthma or bronchitis that can expand the lungs;
2. A number of psychotropic substances;
3. Salts of heavy metals such as mercury.

This type of shaking is easiest to detect if you extend your arms and spread your fingers. When walking, the intensity does not decrease, but while trying to focus on this problem, on the contrary, it intensifies.

General clinical picture

Symptoms associated with hand tremors:

• for an essential type of disorder it is typical that in the later stages of the disease mild cerebellar dysfunctions appear: ataxia, disturbances in coordination of movement, balance when walking;
• the parkinsonian type is accompanied by hypokinesia (limited mobility), postural instability (impaired balance), rigidity (a sharp increase in the tone of anatomical structures);
• the dystonic type is accompanied by a pathological posture in the affected part of the body;
• Holmes tremor is characterized by additional symptoms: rigidity, poor coordination, imbalance, other brainstem symptoms (dizziness, difficulty swallowing, floating movements of the eyeballs);
• cerebellar tremor accompanies coordination impairment, dysmetria (a person cannot hit the target), adiadochokinesis (difficulty performing alternating movements at a fast pace).

Parkinson's disease is the main reason why hands shake

The listed types of tremor are relatively rare compared to Parkinson's disease. It accounts for more than 50% of all cases of hand tremors. And its main symptom is trembling. Often only one hand shakes; the patient simply cannot bring a spoon to his mouth without spilling it, and is unable to serve himself.

The disease affects, in particular, people closer to retirement age. The disease progresses slowly, but it can be identified just by shaking limbs.

The disease is most often a reason for disability, due to its incurability. There are only ways to slow down its progression. When tremor first appears, you should definitely consult a doctor, otherwise there is a chance that you will reach a stage of the disease at which treatment is no longer productive.

The next most common serious incurable disease symptom is multiple sclerosis . Read more about multiple sclerosis here.

Procedures, nutrition

One of the components of an integrated approach to the treatment of VSD is proper healthy nutrition. Food should be light and natural.

The consumption of smoked meats, hot sauces, and fast food is prohibited. You need to eat regularly, in small portions, 5 times a day.

It is best to fill your plate with fresh salads in olive oil, lean meat (chicken, rabbit), fatty fish (salmon, trout), cottage cheese with fruits and dried fruits. Partially drink green tea, kefir and fermented baked milk, compotes and fruit drinks.

Minimize coffee and sweets.

Another important stage in the treatment of VSD is procedures. This area includes:

• morning work-out;
• daily contrast shower;
• half-hour gymnastics in the fresh air;
• long walks;
• relaxing massage;
• going to the bathhouse;
• hypnosis sessions.

A trip to another city or a vacation in a sanatorium will be a great help.

What to do if your hands shake or tremble - treatment of tremor

Of course, correct treatment can be prescribed only when the true cause of the disease has been identified. It is produced comprehensively and is selected individually for any patient.

If progressive tremors in the hands are not addressed in time, surgical intervention may be required. Also, some types of disease cannot be completely cured; you can only slow down their progression and relieve symptoms with the help of medications.

For people prone to tremors, it is imperative to follow these recommendations:

• Reduce the amount of caffeine you consume, or even give it up completely;

• Forget about alcohol and tobacco;

• During attacks of tremors (hands), lift something heavy (this will help cope with tremors);

• Create a daily routine that includes healthy sleep and rest;

• Take anticonvulsant, antisclerotic and sedative medications, depending on the recommendations of doctors; Antidepressants are often recommended in combination with therapy with B vitamins, magnesium and calcium.

• Try to solve problems without creating stressful situations;

• If you start shaking, the first thing you need to do is calm down and start doing something else. Let’s say, if your hands start to shake during physical exercise, you need to do mental work on the contrary.

• When shaking begins from severe muscle tension, do not panic, this is just a minor disturbance of the nervous system. This also happens during times of stress or severe anxiety. And in this case there is no need to rush to the doctor immediately.

• But if a person suffering from this disease often has to deal with stress, a relaxing bath, a favorite song, the soothing sound of waves or birdsong will help overcome the tremors.

• Among the alternative ways to get rid of tremor are therapeutic fasting for quite long periods in a hospital setting and apitherapy, bee stings on reflex points stabilize the nervous system and improve conductivity. Approximately the same effect can be expected from acupuncture.

• Hydrotherapy can also seriously strengthen the nervous system; for example, Charcot's douche and its variations produce excellent results. At home, you can take advantage of the benefits of a contrast shower. It was great to visit the pool.

• Folk methods of relieving tremors in the hands help selectively, but still, trying is not torture, maybe one of the methods will help you... The most famous is the use of oat decoction - it is brewed like this - 100 grams of oats per liter of water (the amount can be increased in the same amount). same proportions), cook for an hour, leave overnight, it is recommended to drink 1.5-2 liters of decoction per day. Treat for a week, then take a break for the same amount of time, the courses can be repeated.

• As an accompaniment, herbs with a sedative effect are recommended - valerian, motherwort.

Factors that cause hand tremors

Physiological tremor in healthy people occurs for a variety of reasons, and only in some cases:

• When passing exams, public speaking, stressful situations and disorders of the nervous system, that is, with increased psycho-emotional stress.
• If you consume excessive amounts of coffee, tea and alcohol, as well as antidepressants.
• During increased physical activity, exercise on horizontal bars, lifting suitcases, bags with cargo.

Most often, hand trembling is not a constant phenomenon, but when they always shake, you need to approach this phenomenon with special care, since this may be a consequence of the following reasons:

• Alcohol addiction . If a person drinks alcohol every day, then, first of all, the nervous system breaks down, and trembling of the fingers appears, and then the head and whole body begin to shake. This condition is called a hangover; tremors often occur in the morning after waking up, but when a person stops drinking alcohol, his condition gradually normalizes, and the trembling of the hands goes away.
• Drug addiction . When a drug addict needs a new dose, he also experiences tremors throughout his entire body, even at his fingertips. After the patient undergoes the course of treatment, the nervous system calms down, and the trembling of the fingertips of the upper extremities stops.
• Hormonal changes . This process in the body causes a special sensitivity of the nervous system. Psychological instability leads to the fact that your hands begin to tremble, but you shouldn’t worry about it - everything will go away with time, and walking, swimming in the pool, and auto-training will help alleviate the condition.
• Tick ​​bite . When bitten by an encephalitis tick, tremor of the fingertips may be observed.
• Chemical poisoning . If precautions are not taken, poisoning from toxic chemicals, such as lead, mercury, strychnine, and carbon monoxide, can occur. This also causes hand tremors.
• Food poisoning . At this time, toxins from foods enter the bloodstream and begin to affect nerve endings through the brain. The vestibular apparatus, the back of the head, suffers the most, the person begins to tremble, and the hands also begin to shake.
• Specifics of work . Trembling can occur in workers performing small and nervous work, where they have to do everything without error. These categories of specialties include watchmakers, jewelers, and surgeons. To recover, it is necessary to perform exercises to develop fine motor skills of the fingers.

Aging of the body leads to hand tremors and occurs in older people.

Diagnosis and therapy

Making an accurate diagnosis of hand tremors is not easy; this requires a comprehensive study, which may consist of tests, samples, blood tests, fundus examination, blood pressure measurements, thermography, filming, and MRI.

Physiological tremor can occur in any person and be almost unnoticeable to others. Mild and physiological forms usually do not require treatment.

To overcome an unpleasant state, it is enough to know how to relieve stress and drink soothing herbs: lemon balm, chamomile, mint, motherwort, etc.

Treatment of pathological forms of hand tremor is aimed at reducing the intensity of trembling. In the first stages, medications are not prescribed in most cases.

Beta blockers: Propranolol, Obzidan and Anaprilin will help reduce the amplitude of hand tremors in later stages of the disease. If the result is not achieved, then Primidon, Hexamidine, and other anticonvulsants are prescribed.

What to do if the listed drugs do not help and your hands are still shaking - in especially difficult cases, botulinum toxin-A injections are prescribed intramuscularly.

In especially severe cases, when resistant and pharmacological treatment does not help, neurosurgical intervention is used.

Exercises for limbs

Exercises to reduce hand tremors:

1. Place your palms together and raise them to eye level - this is the starting position. Take a deep breath. As you exhale, lower one hand half a finger, and squeeze the lowered one with the other hand. While inhaling, return to the starting position. Repeat the cycle 10 times.
2. For hysterical or psychogenic tremors, rubbing the palms until the hands become warm helps.
3. Strengthen the hands and restore lost control over the muscles of the hands by modeling clay or plasticine, playing musical instruments, and needlework (knitting).
4. Card tricks develop coordination of movement and concentration.