Tremors are involuntary, often rhythmic muscle movements that most often affect a person’s hands, but may also affect the arms, head, face, vocal cords, trunk and legs. Most people who experience tremors are otherwise healthy. However, some people experience tremors as a result of certain neurological syndromes and/or other medical conditions.

Problems in parts of the brain that control certain muscles can lead to tremors. Typically, there are areas of damage or dysfunction along nerve pathways responsible for the coordination of movement.

Tremors typically do not pose serious health risks. However, they can make it difficult to perform certain activities. For example, people with hand tremors might have difficulty writing or have problems holding utensils while eating. Tremors can be accompanied by other symptoms, including difficulty walking and speaking.  

Tremors can occur when a person is at rest or during movement. Some types of tremors may not be visible to the naked eye. Tremors are often identified according to their clinical features or causes. A few examples include:

• Essential tremor. The most common type of tremor, it most often affects the hands and head, but may also affect other body parts (e.g., arms, legs, trunk, vocal cords).
  
  
• Parkinsonian tremor. Often precedes the development of Parkinson’s disease and may start on one side of the body before affecting the other side as well.
  
  
• Dystonic tremor. Occurs in people with dystonia, a movement disorder in which involuntary muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive motions and other abnormal postures or positions that cause pain to the patient.

There is no cure for most types of tremors. In some cases, tremors are so mild that they do not affect a person’s daily activities and may not require treatment. In other cases, the tremors may be more severe. Treatment methods include certain medications, physical therapy, mental health counseling or surgery. Sometimes, just avoiding certain triggers (e.g., alcohol, caffeine, high stress) may reduce the likelihood of certain types of tremors.

To determine the underlying cause of tremors, a physician will perform a complete physical examination and obtain a thorough medical history. Various tests may be performed to look for sensory loss, decreased reflexes, and weakness or muscle atrophy. Blood tests, urine tests, imaging tests and a neurological examination may also be performed.