Movement Disorders

Tremor
Dr. Mit Ankur Raval

Tremor is a rhythmic involuntary movement. Rest, postural, action and mixed patterns can have very different causes.

Understand tremor

What the clinician looks for.

Tremor that is most prominent when a body part is relaxed can occur in Parkinsonian syndromes and other conditions.

Tremor during posture or voluntary activity has a broad differential, including essential tremor.

Age at onset, distribution, family history, associated neurological signs and medication exposure are important.

Treatment depends on the underlying syndrome and the effect on function.

Selected focal tremors may be considered for targeted botulinum toxin treatment.

Disabling medication-refractory tremor may lead to discussion of advanced interventions in appropriate specialist centres.

Patient questions

Does tremor always mean essential tremor?

No. Tremor syndromes have different causes and different treatments.

When should a new tremor be assessed?

When it is new, progressive, functionally troublesome or accompanied by other neurological symptoms.

Can tremor be cured?

The outlook depends on the cause; treatment often focuses on reducing disability and improving function.

Selected clinical reference: American Academy of Neurology essential tremor guideline. AAN

Appointments

Clinic and appointment details will be updated here.