Shaky hands can be a concerning symptom, and understanding the underlying causes is essential for proper management. Your doctor will typically start by ruling out common factors like medication side effects, excessive caffeine intake, muscle fatigue, stress, or certain medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism. Unfortunately, there is no cure for essential tremor, a common cause of hand shaking, but medications like propranolol (Inderal) may be suggested for management.
This type of tremor is a benign condition causing involuntary shaking in various body parts, including the hands, head, and voice box. Damage to the cerebellum, for instance, can result in your hand missing the doorknob, as Dr. Umeh notes. Post-stroke tremors are another example, where damage to the cerebellum can lead to an intention tremor.
Muscle shaking during exercise, as explained by Accetta, can occur due to muscle fatigue or when the muscles are attempting a new movement or lifting a heavier weight. In these scenarios, shaking is a sign that your nervous system is recruiting more muscle fibers to complete the task.
Another instance of shaking can occur during illnesses like COVID-19. The shivering associated with rigors happens when muscles shake to generate additional heat, helping the body to fight the infection. Medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be used to reduce fever and, consequently, rigors.
Essential tremor (ET) is a neurological condition causing uncontrollable shaking of the hands, head, voice, and sometimes legs and trunk. Also known as benign essential tremor, ET is the most common of more than 20 types of tremor and can worsen over time. It typically starts on one side of the body and progresses to the other.
Parkinsonian Tremor is another type, characterized as a resting tremor usually involving the distal muscles, like the pill-rolling tremor of the hand. Cerebellar disease, in contrast to cerebrum-related conditions, affects the same side of the body as the cerebellar lesion.
Psychological factors like stress can also contribute to shaking. Symptoms like restlessness, irritability, excessive worrying, and fatigue can accompany shaking episodes, especially during periods of high stress, like school-related activities. It’s recommended to consider these factors to determine the precise cause of shaking.
For further information, visit Harvard Health, Harvard Health, HSS, University of Utah Health, University of Utah Health, and Go Ask Alice! for more details.
