{"id":26424,"date":"2026-03-04T18:49:48","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T18:49:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/2026\/03\/04\/the-medical-minute-new-treatments-bring-relief-for-essential-tremor-sufferers\/"},"modified":"2026-03-04T18:49:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T18:49:48","slug":"the-medical-minute-new-treatments-bring-relief-for-essential-tremor-sufferers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/2026\/03\/04\/the-medical-minute-new-treatments-bring-relief-for-essential-tremor-sufferers\/","title":{"rendered":"The Medical Minute: New Treatments Bring Relief for Essential Tremor Sufferers"},"content":{"rendered":"


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MRI technologists Andrew Abersole (left) and Anita Krivenko (right) assist patient Jose Lopez as he prepares for focused ultrasound treatment at a medical center to alleviate his tremor symptoms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

About ten years ago, Joan Riggs, a 64-year-old from Lemoyne, began experiencing shaky hands. At first, it was just a little annoying, but as the tremors got worse, they started to interfere with her daily life.<\/p>\n

She eventually had to quit her job as a nurse. Activities she loved, like journaling and cross-stitching, became almost impossible because they needed steady hands. Even simple tasks like eating and drinking turned into struggles.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was always spilling food and making a mess. Just getting a fork or spoon to my mouth was so frustrating,\u201d she shared. \u201cI ended up mostly eating finger foods instead of having proper meals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joan was dealing with essential tremor, a condition affecting about 1.1 million adults in the U.S. according to studies published in medical journals.<\/p>\n

What is essential tremor?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Essential tremor is a brain disorder that leads to uncontrollable shaking. Hand tremors are a common issue.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople often notice tremors when they try to do everyday activities like eating, drinking, or applying makeup,\u201d explained Dr. Pratik Talati, a specialist in neurosurgery. \u201cThese tremors can really disrupt daily life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Symptoms typically start between the ages of 36 and 40. Surprisingly, some individuals find that their tremors lessen temporarily when they drink alcohol, but Dr. Talati cautions against using alcohol as a solution, as it can harm the brain in the long run.<\/p>\n

How does it compare to Parkinson\u2019s disease?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

While both conditions cause tremors, they do so differently. <\/p>\n

\u201cWith essential tremor, there\u2019s usually no tremor at rest, but it manifests when one begins to move,\u201d Talati noted. \u201cIn contrast, Parkinson\u2019s tremors often occur when a person\u2019s hand is relaxed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unlike Parkinson\u2019s disease, which worsens over time due to the death of brain cells, essential tremor doesn\u2019t progress in the same manner, although its cause remains unknown.<\/p>\n

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Find a neurosurgery expert near you.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

How is essential tremor diagnosed?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Doctors diagnose essential tremor by discussing symptoms, health history, and family medical backgrounds. More than half of those with essential tremor have a family history of it.<\/p>\n

Healthcare providers may also evaluate your muscle strength and coordination. They often observe how you manage simple tasks like writing or pouring water.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Dr. Pratik Talati prepares patient Jose Lopez for focused ultrasound therapy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

How is essential tremor treated?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

There is currently no cure for essential tremor, but treatment aims to minimize the shaking. Treatment typically begins with medications:<\/p>\n

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  • Propranolol:<\/strong> This drug helps slow down tremors by reducing stress signals in the brain.<\/li>\n
  • Primidone:<\/strong> This medication calms overactive nerve activity to lessen tremors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    If meds don\u2019t work, patients may consider more advanced treatments, which often start with brain imaging tests to assist in planning. Some advanced options include:<\/p>\n

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    • \n
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      • Deep brain stimulation:<\/strong> This procedure involves placing small wires in targeted areas of the brain through tiny incisions. A small device acts like a pacemaker, delivering electrical impulses to help reduce tremors.<\/li>\n
      • Focused ultrasound:<\/strong> This is a newer, less invasive treatment using sound waves to target specific brain areas involved in tremors. Patients stay awake and often leave the same day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Studies suggest that focused ultrasound can reduce tremor severity, improve quality of life, and the effects can last years. While there can be mild side effects, they are usually temporary.<\/p>\n

        \u201cIt\u2019s incredible to see patients who have struggled with severe tremors experience immediate improvement in their ability to do daily activities,\u201d Dr. Talati said.<\/p>\n

        After undergoing focused ultrasound in February, Joan Riggs was amazed when she saw her handwriting again. She can now type comfortably and is looking forward to returning to her cross-stitching hobby.<\/p>\n

        \u201cMy outlook on life is so much brighter now,\u201d she said. \u201cI can finally start enjoying my life again.\u201d<\/p>\n

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        Learn more about essential tremor.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

        Related Content:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

        This information is shared to provide valuable health tips from medical experts at a local health center.<\/em><\/p>\n

        If you need help accessing this content or require it in an alternate format, please reach out for assistance.<\/em><\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        MRI technologists Andrew Abersole (left) and Anita Krivenko (right) assist patient Jose Lopez as he prepares for focused ultrasound treatment at a medical center to alleviate his tremor symptoms. About ten years ago, Joan Riggs, a 64-year-old from Lemoyne, began experiencing shaky hands. At first, it was just a little annoying, but as the tremors<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":26425,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26424","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26424"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26424\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/indiabulletinusa.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}