Tremors are rhythmic muscle contractions that cause body parts to keep shaking. The most common form of tremors is hand tremors. Hand tremor is an indicator of an underlying medical condition. For some people, shaky hands can cause minor inconvenience, but for some, it can cause difficulty in carrying out everyday tasks. For example, you may notice a hand tremor when you have trouble holding objects or writing or when someone else points out your shaky movements.

What is a tremor?
Tremors are involuntary muscle contractions that appear like trembling or shaking of any part of your body. When you maintain a particular posture, you experience a slight tremor which is called a physiological tremor. But these tremors are so small that they are not noticeable. However, a hand tremor is far more noticeable when a person is anxious or stressed. Though hands are affected by tremors, other body parts such as the head, arms, legs, and torso are also affected.

What are the causes of a hand tremor?
Tremors are caused by neurological conditions, prescribed treatments, or other health issues. Some potential causes of tremors are-

EPT
EPT also stands for Enhanced Physiologic Tremor, which is a more noticeable form of physiologic tremor. EPT is caused due to stress, anxiety, fatigue, lack of sleep, thyroid, and strenuous exercise. It affects your hands and fingers majorly.

Health conditions
Sometimes, shaky hands are caused due to liver failure, mercury poisoning, alcohol misuse, depression, hyperthyroidism, etc.

Neurological conditions
Neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, brain injury, and dystonia can also cause tremors.

How can you stop your hands from shaking?
Here are some methods that can be used by people to stop their hands from shaking.

Lifestyle changes
In case you have enhanced physiologic tremor, you can make some lifestyle changes to shop your hands from shaking. These can be avoiding heavy exercises, avoiding stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine intake, and avoiding excess alcohol consumption.

Changing prescribed treatments
Tremors can be caused due to a side effect of taking some treatments. If you think that after a particular prescription, you are experiencing a hand tremor, you should report the same to your doctor. He will adjust your dosage or switch you to a new option.

Physical therapy
You can get in touch with a physical therapist who can teach you some exercises to improve your muscle coordination, muscle control, balance, and muscle functioning.

Psychological techniques
If you are experiencing tremors because of anxiety or panic attacks, these psychological techniques can be helpful for you. You should practice relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises and mindfulness.

Occupational therapy
You can continue your daily activities by getting in touch with an occupational therapist.

Treatment options
Most types of tremors cannot be cured. There are various treatment options that are available to help a person manage the symptoms. These treatment options include:

Prescribed treatments
To reduce the severity and frequency of tremors, your doctor might prescribe treatments such as anxiety tablets, anti-seizure treatments, and beta-blockers.

Surgery
When the tremors cannot be cured with the help of prescribed options, your doctor might recommend surgery to improve the quality of life. You might also have to undergo surgical interventions such as deep brain stimulation (DBS). In worst cases, radiosurgery or radiofrequency ablation can also be performed.

Botox
You will be amazed to know that Botox injections are beneficial in treating voice and head tremors. The tremors that can lead to weakness in the fingers can also be cured using Botox injections.

Other methods to treat shaky hands:
The symptoms of such tremors can be eased by –

Using heavier objects
You can replace lightweight items with heavy ones, so they are easier to handle and give your hands some potency.

Wearing wristbands
You can make control easier by tying extra weight on your arm.

Using specially designed tools
If you have shaky hands, you will find it difficult to grip or handle items such as pencils, pens, garden tools, etc. You can choose the versions that are designed for people with grip challenges.

Experiencing a slight hand tremor is normal, but when the condition worsens, you need to look for ways to stop your hands from shaking. There are many factors that can make the tremor more noticeable, such as stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, and caffeine consumption. In some cases, continuous tremors indicate an underlying medical condition or a side effect of some prescribed treatment. If you feel your tremors are increasing, you should see a doctor as soon as possible and start with your treatment immediately.