Medical Questions » Nerves Questions » Question No. 723
| Question: | I get the shakes. Sometimes my hand is alright, but at other times it shakes terribly. Can you help me? |
| Answer: | Tremors are very common in older people, and there are a variety of causes. One of the most common is Parkinson' s disease, which is due to a deterioration of the coordination centre in your brain. Some drugs, alcohol and caffeine (from both tea and coffee) can precipitate or aggravate tremors.
There are dozens of other causes that vary from anxiety and psychiatric conditions to an overactive thyroid gland or a stroke.
The first step is to have an accurate diagnosis made. This may involve a visit to a neurologist—a specialist brain and nerve doctor. Many tests will be done and a thorough investigation undertaken, and once the diagnosis is made, treatment can commence. Some types of tremors can be completely cured, others controlled, and a few cannot be treated at all. You will not know what can be done to help you until that diagnosis is made, so arrange to see your GP as soon as possible.
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