What's wrong with my hands being so shaky

Hand tremors are a problem that many patients have. If the hand tremors are not caused by psychological tension, then you must consider whether they are caused by some diseases, such as essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, action tremor, and sometimes, the effects of drugs or alcohol poisoning can also cause hand tremors to a certain extent.

1. Essential Tremor Syndrome

Among the symptoms of postural hand tremor, in addition to temporary tension, the most common one is "essential tremor", which may be related to genetics and physical constitution. Improvement can be slowed down by:

When facing tremendous pressure, don't force it. Use abdominal breathing, take deep breaths and relax.

Reduce the intake of stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol

Taking medicines and receiving surgical treatment

Avoid doing delicate work; tremors can affect work performance, increase stress and make symptoms worse.

2. Parkinson's disease hand tremor

If the hand tremor is a "static tremor" that occurs when you are not doing any movement and is more severe, and if you have been falling frequently, have stiff limbs, and unstable center of gravity recently, it is very likely that you have Parkinson's disease, which is a degeneration of the central nervous system and affects the motor nervous system. Dai Chunhui, chief physician of the Department of Neurology at National Taiwan University Hospital, said in an interview with the National Health Foundation that there are currently about 50,000 Parkinson's patients in Taiwan, aged between 50 and 60. Early detection of the disease, medication, rehabilitation and exercise can help control the disease and slow down its progression.

3. Hyperthyroidism hand tremors

For example, if you sweat a lot even though you don't feel hot, or feel nervous for no reason and your heart beats faster, and your hands tremble slightly, then this is very likely hyperthyroidism, which is especially common in women and can be controlled by seeing a doctor, taking medication, etc.

4. Hand tremors due to low blood sugar

Especially for people with diabetes, hand tremors or body shaking are prone to occur when their blood sugar is too low due to insufficient carbohydrate intake, exercise on an empty stomach, drinking, bathing, etc. If this happens, please eat foods high in glucose as soon as possible, and then eat well after the symptoms have eased!

5. Action Tremor

If your hands shake when you approach an object or pick up something, and this type of tremor, called "action tremor," only occurs when you move, has not improved, and the symptoms of mixed postural tremor have not improved, then it is very likely that you have cerebral infarction, cerebellar atrophy, or multiple sclerosis. Professor Ryohei Okamoto of the Institute for Intractable Diseases at Tokyo Medical and Dental University calls for going to the hospital for an MRI or CT scan of the brain as soon as possible to detect and treat the disease early before it becomes serious.

6. Drug factors

Some tranquilizers, sleeping pills, or internal medicine medications such as gastrointestinal and cardiovascular medicines can cause tremors as a side effect. Please refer to the instructions on the medicine bag. If the tremor is caused by medication, simply stop taking the medication.

7. Alcohol poisoning

Excessive alcohol use can also cause tremors. For most people, drinking too much alcohol can easily cause hand tremors. However, for patients with essential tremor disorder, a small drink (mild use of alcohol) will suppress cerebellar function and help reduce tremors. However, if you drink too much, alcohol will cause cerebellar dysfunction and eventually cause tremors.