How to Recognize Symptoms of Familial Tremor

When picking up a glass or cup, if you have noticed that you need to steady it with the other hand, perhaps you are having tremors. Maybe it's only a passing phase of weakness from illness or because you're overtired. If these tremors become a daily occurrence, however, and you remember a parent or grandparent experiencing a similar shaking, you may have familial tremor. Also known as essential tremor, the condition can affect other parts of the body such as the head, arms, face, vocal cords, trunk and legs. When the tremors get to the point where they've become a problem, recognizing the symptoms of familial tremor will aid your doctor in determining your diagnosis.

Instructions

• 1

  Research your family background if you have a pronounced shaking of hands or other parts of their body. This could be as simple as asking your parents or other family members for their recollection of family members who seemed to have this problem. If that is not possible, you may have to delve into your ancestry records to find a clue. Familial or essential tremor is an inherited dominant trait, which means you only need the gene from one parent to develop the disorder. These tremors are usually not noticed when the person is at rest.

• 2

  Watch for difficulty in doing small, exacting tasks. Holding silverware or a pen becomes difficult, and writing and eating more arduous. People with familial tremor usually have difficulty steadying a camera to take photos.

• 3

  Notice tremors that occur when you perform a deliberate act such as pushing a button, putting in contacts or putting earrings into the piercing. The more delicate the task, the more tremors are likely to occur.

• 4

  Take into consideration your age, lifestyle and medications. Familial tremors get worse with age, stress and overuse of caffeine. Some prescription and over-the-counter medications such as Singulair, Prednisone, Lisinopril, Topamax, Albuterol, Claritin and others may cause tremors. See your doctor to determine if your medications play a significant role in your tremors.