Essential Tremor Support Group
Essential Tremor (ET) is a neurological disorder characterized by shaking of hands (and sometimes other parts of the body including the head), evoked by intentional movements. The incidence is unknown, but is estimated to be as common as one person in 20, and it is the most common type of tremor and also the most commonly observed movement disorder.
I have had essential tremors all my life. However, I also have a bad sense of balance. I always linked the two problems. Does anyone with E.T. have balance problems? Or is it something else?
Tom
Tom
Essential tremor (ET) is a progressive neurological disease whose most recognizable feature is a tremor of the arms that is apparent during voluntary movements such as eating and writing.[1] This type of tremor is often referred to as "kinetic tremor". The tremor may also occur in the head (neck), jaw and voice as well as other body regions, with the general pattern being that the tremor begins in the arms and then spreads to these other regions in selected patients. Women are more likely to develop the head tremor than are men.[2][3] Other types of tremor may also occur, including postural tremor of the outstretched arms, intentional tremor of the arms and rest tremor in the arms.[4] Some patients may have unsteadiness and problems with GAIT and BALANCE that are above and beyond that due to normal aging.[5] [6] In addition to these motor problems, a variety of non-motor features have recently been linked with ET. These include anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as cognitive difficulty.
~tj