When your hands shake?

The condition when hands shake is familiar to many of us. Such trembling is not uncommon after severe stress, fear, prolonged experiences or with a sharp release of adrenaline into the blood (for example, in extreme situations).

You can also feel trembling when your body is relaxed: this may be due to age or certain illnesses.

Why do my hands shake?

Hands can shake for many reasons:

• depressive states, depressed mood, state of hopelessness;
• taking certain medications, most of which affect the central nervous system;
• alcoholism;
• abuse of strong tea or coffee;
• excessive physical exertion, overfatigue;
• hypothermia, exposure to low temperatures;
• poisoning, intoxication of the body.

In fact, the listed reasons are the main, but not the only factors for the appearance of hand tremors. Special attention should be paid to tremors of the limbs that are repeated and continue for more than 2 weeks: this may be the result of some disease or disorder in the body. It is imperative to visit a doctor, undergo a number of additional examinations to find out the cause and provoking factors for the appearance of hand tremors.

If the reasons for shaking hands are physiological, then this condition should go away on its own. If the trembling does not go away, or, moreover, increases, then this may indicate the presence of some pathological processes in the body.

Why do young people's hands shake?

If elderly people's hands may shake due to age-related processes in the body, then in young people this may be due to many reasons. Most often, this condition develops in response to irritation of the nervous system: stressful situations related to study, relationships with classmates or the opposite sex.

Hormonal levels also play an important role. For example, during adolescence, when the level of hormones in a young organism is constantly changing, depression may develop, mood swings, fatigue, irritability may occur, which may well be accompanied by trembling in the limbs.

A weak nervous system, heavy academic workloads, possible misunderstanding on the part of teachers, parents or the opposite sex, worries about self-determination in life – these factors can affect the well-being and condition of the young organism.

A teenager's hands are shaking - what to do? First, try to talk to him: perhaps something is bothering him, he has some fears or worries, he is worried about his studies or he is not getting along with his peers. It is worse if the teenager tries to drown out all these stressful situations with cigarettes or alcoholic drinks. Of course, he is unlikely to admit this to you. However, your task is not to put pressure on the teenager, but to demonstrate your love, worries and readiness to help at any moment.

If, from a psychological point of view, everything is fine with the teenager, and the reason for the trembling in the hands is still unknown, then, most likely, a specialist consultation will be required. Try to contact your local doctor, who can write a referral to a neurologist, therapist or endocrinologist. Diseases that doctors of these specialties deal with can reveal themselves precisely by the appearance of trembling in the hands. Therefore, do not waste time and get examined.

Why does an elderly person's hand shake?

Often, hand tremors in the elderly are perceived by others relatively adequately: what can you do, age... Indeed, age-related changes in the body play an important role here. However, age is not a complete reason, because there is a specific factor that provoked hand tremors. This may be a violation of cerebral circulation, heart disease and blood vessels. We have identified the most common factors in the following list:

• professional activities, when a large share of the physical load fell on the hands, which, ultimately, provoked increasing muscle fatigue;
• long-term stress, experiences that could affect the functioning of the autonomic nervous system or cerebral circulation;
• long-term intoxication of the body, which can be caused by prolonged consumption of alcoholic beverages, smoking for many years, long-term work in a hazardous production facility, living near busy highways or large industrial facilities;
• other diseases such as Parkinson's disease, stroke or endocrine system pathologies (hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, etc.).

In any case, the true cause can only be determined through special examinations by a specialist. It is rarely possible to independently determine the cause of such a condition.

Symptoms of Hand Tremors

It would seem, what could be the symptoms of hand tremors? However, tremors can also be different, and often by their nature it is possible to determine the approximate cause of such a condition. Next, we will consider the most frequent signs of the most common pathologies that are accompanied by tremors of the limbs.

• If your hands are shaking violently, this may be a sign of intoxication: the person is in a state of nervous paralytic shock. This is due to the fact that during intoxication, toxic substances affect brain functions, which immediately affects the coordination of movements. During intoxication, there is a very fine tremor in the limbs, and sometimes the legs and arms shake at the same time. The patient feels a fine vibration, often invisible to others. If a person has been poisoned by drugs or chemicals, the tremor will be more pronounced. In case of food poisoning, the tremor is barely noticeable. The condition may be accompanied by weakness, loss of orientation, and dyspeptic disorders. The skin is often pale, hyperhidrosis is possible.
• If a person over 40 years of age has shaking hands and weakness, this may be a manifestation of essential tremor, a pathology that is inherited. Such tremors can be observed when straining the fingers on the hands, or when holding an arm extended forward or to the side. Tremors "by inheritance" can be accompanied by tremors of the lower jaw, neck. In this case, vibrations in the vocal cords can be observed - the voice seems to "tremble".
• If hands shake with Parkinson's disease, then most often this happens already at the initial stages of the disease. The tremor is quite large, affecting the limb from the wrist to the fingertips. Characteristically: with Parkinson's disease, tremors most clearly begin to bother in a relaxed state. For example, patients often note that their hands shake in their sleep. However, if you give your hands work, the tremors almost disappear. Tremors can intensify with stress: in such cases, they are obvious and visible to the naked eye. Hands can shake unevenly: the right one is larger than the left, or vice versa. In addition to the limbs, the shoulders, lips, and head sometimes shake.
• If the arms and legs shake and there is weakness, then one can suspect tremors of cerebellar etiology, when painful changes in the cerebellum occur. As a rule, such a pathology can be a consequence of a head injury or a chronic disease called multiple sclerosis. When the cerebellum is damaged, there is a decrease in muscle tone, general weakness, apathy. If you ask the patient to close his eyes, then in this state he will not be able to touch a given point, for example, the tip of the nose. The patient feels constant fatigue, especially in the evening. Tremors have different intensity, but pass in a relaxed state.
• If hands shake with VSD (vegetative-vascular dystonia) or other vascular diseases, as well as with Wilson-Konovalov disease, then the tremor in this case is large and rhythmic, with an oscillatory amplitude of 10-20 mm. Tremor most often occurs with motor activity and disappears in a relaxed state. However, it will not be easy to relax the limbs with such tremors; help from an outsider may often be needed. In some cases, with Wilson's disease, not only the upper limbs but the entire body may tremble.
• If hands shake due to thyroid diseases, then most often we are talking about hyperthyroidism - excessive thyroid function, when an excessively large amount of hormones is produced. In this case, the tremor is low-amplitude, frequent, and is difficult to eliminate. At the same time, the function of other organs and systems can be disrupted: the urinary system, liver, digestive system. Often there are "interruptions" in the heart area, there is no stability of mood. If you ask the patient to stick out his tongue as much as possible, you can observe his tremor.
• When hands shake with diabetes, it means a sharp decrease in blood glucose levels. This condition can be compared to the condition of a healthy person when hands shake from hunger. Tremors are not associated with either motor activity or the patient's calm state. Along with trembling in the hands, general weakness increases, the skin becomes covered in sweat. After a portion of carbohydrate food, the symptoms of tremor disappear.
• Sometimes hands go numb and shake after a bite of an encephalitis tick. This condition can occur after visiting a park, a forest belt, after relaxing in nature. Tremor after a tick bite does not develop immediately, it is of a convulsive paroxysmal nature. Along with trembling, muscles can twitch and hurt, limbs go numb up to paralytic complications. This situation requires urgent medical attention.
• If hands shake due to neurosis, then such trembling is constant and does not stop on its own. Hands shake slightly, obsessively, not letting go either in sleep or in a waking state. There are also other signs of neurosis - apathy, loss of appetite and sleep disorders, irritability and increased fatigue.
• If your hands shake after a stroke, the tremor is usually small, not sweeping, with individual muscle twitches. In some cases, this is due to the return of muscle tone and an insufficient rehabilitation period. However, the most common cause is a violation of the brain's conductive pathways, when the connection between the cerebral cortex and muscle fibers is lost. This function can be fully or partially restored over time if you undergo a sufficient and qualified course of rehabilitation treatment.

Shaking hands can be considered a sign of a disease if the tremors recur more than once a month and are not associated with short-term physiological phenomena: overwork, stress, prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, etc. In addition, if the patient is undergoing treatment with any medications, then the tremors may be just a side effect of some of them.

My left hand is shaking

The left hand may shake after frequent physical exertion on it, as well as with improperly distributed load between the limbs or with sudden strong load on the left hand. In most people, the left hand is initially weaker than the right, so trembling can occur even after relatively small physical exertion, especially on an untrained hand.

Often, trembling appears after carrying heavy objects, mainly in the left hand.

If we are not talking about physical activity, then the cause of hand tremor may be a pathology in the spine (pinched nerve ending on the left side). This condition may be accompanied by a feeling of numbness or "crawling" in the limb, as well as pain in the back.

In the first case, if the tremor occurs as a result of physical exertion, it disappears on its own after a short rest and resting the limb. A light massage, a relaxing warm bath or a contrast shower also helps.

Hand tremors due to back problems do not go away on their own. You should see a doctor, preferably a vertebrologist or orthopedist, who will consider the possibility of eliminating the pinched nerve.

My right hand is shaking

The condition when only the right hand shakes is not uncommon. Why does this happen? The answer is simple: most people on the planet are right-handed, who are used to performing movements and any manual work mainly with their right hand. And if the movements are constant and monotonous, or the hand is subject to the maximum permissible load for a certain amount of time, then the hand is overloaded, and trembling may occur. Moreover, sometimes, due to professional activity, the right hand “gets used” to regular load so much that in a calm state, muscle fibers continue to “require” additional load, which provokes the appearance of tremor. This condition cannot be considered a pathology, it is just a consequence or costs of a particular profession.

True, in some cases, trembling in the right hand may still indicate illness. This happens when there is a circulatory disorder in the right half of the brain, in particular, in a post-stroke condition (if the stroke occurred on the right side). The cause may also be a pathology of the spine (again on the right side).

Constantly shaking hands: the tricks of the autonomic nervous system

The autonomic nervous system is a part of the entire nervous system that is responsible for many functions of the body, including vital processes. The autonomic nervous system controls those processes that a person cannot consciously control - this is tissue nutrition, the work of internal organs, contractions of smooth muscles, the process of hormone secretion, etc.

How does the autonomic nervous system influence the appearance of hand tremors? Firstly, it is able to control the secretion of adrenaline, a hormone that is “to blame” for the fact that our hands shake when we are nervous, afraid, or in extreme situations. For example, it is rare for someone to not have shaking hands during their first parachute jump, and a person cannot control this process independently: the autonomic nervous system and the release of adrenaline into the blood are to blame.

The autonomic nervous system operates in approximately the same way when hands shake after sex: a person experiences a surge of pleasure hormones, adrenaline, his heart beats faster, blood circulation is increased - hence the trembling in the hands. And this is in no way a pathology, it is simply the ANS's reaction to the process of receiving pleasure.

It is worth noting that the sensitivity of the autonomic nervous system is different for everyone, so some people's fingers shake at the slightest nervous irritation, while others may be outwardly very calm and not show any signs of anxiety.

When a person finds himself in emergency, extreme conditions and he has a need to mobilize all available reserves in order to overcome the difficulties that have arisen, it is the ANS that is able to provide the ability to withstand any conditions. The body releases energy reserves available for extreme cases, which allows stimulating the physical capabilities of a person. At the same time, the superficial blood vessels narrow, the volume of circulating blood increases to ensure muscle work. Again, the adrenal cortex is activated, adrenaline is synthesized - all this together explains why hands shake after a workout, especially an intense one. Tremors after a workout, as a rule, go away on their own when the body can relax and rest.

By the way, an additional reason why hands shake after a workout may be excessive strain on them. If the workout was long and hard, then the arm muscles "get used" to the tension. After such a workout, they need time to return to normal and relax.

Hands shake from nerves - this is also a result of the activity of the autonomic nervous system. In this way, the body reacts to unpleasant emotions: breathing slows down, the heartbeat quickens. During an argument or gambling, breathing, on the contrary, quickens due to the release of adrenaline. At the same time, the tissues' need for oxygen increases, which further intensifies the trembling in the hands. Moreover, in some people, the autonomic nervous system is so sensitive that, in addition to trembling in the hands, in response to unpleasant emotions, nausea, increased intestinal peristalsis, diarrhea and an acute feeling of hunger may appear.

Hands shaking during a conversation is the result of subconscious excitement from talking to the interlocutor. A person may not even suspect his excitement. However, the overly sensitive vegetative apparatus reacts with trembling in the hands. At the same time, as a rule, trembling is absent during communication with close or dear people. If the conversation takes place between strangers, tremor may be present.

The body's thermoregulation system is also subject to vegetative control. The narrowing or dilation of blood vessels, which is controlled by the ANS, is capable of regulating human body temperature. This is the reason why, with a cold or infectious disease that occurs with an increase in body temperature, one often feels hot and one's hands shake.

The autonomic nervous system is most sensitive during certain periods of life or in certain human conditions:

• early childhood;
• hormonal changes (puberty, pregnancy);
• prolonged, multi-year anxiety, fear, depression, etc.;
• organic pathologies of the nervous system (consequences of head injuries, epilepsy, cerebral circulatory disorders, etc.);
• disorders of metabolic and trophic processes in the body (usually in old and senile age).

We will discuss some of these periods separately.

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The child's hands are shaking

If you find that your child's hands are shaking, then, first of all, you need to exclude the most common causes of this condition.

Perhaps the child is simply frozen, cold, or shivering from a high temperature.

Perhaps the baby is hungry, and trembling hands are a sign of a lack of glucose in the body.

In some cases, trembling in the limbs may indicate muscle spasms associated with physical fatigue, prolonged physical activity. Such spasms can be relieved with a special relaxing massage, using mint ointment or regular massage cream.

If the hand tremors are not related to the listed reasons, then most likely you will need to consult a specialist. First of all, this could be a pediatrician, neurologist or child neurologist. It is necessary to take into account that tremors can often be a sign of a serious illness, so you should conduct examinations and make sure that everything is okay with the child.

When do newborns' hands shake?

From the moment of birth, a child may experience twitching of individual muscles, including those in the arms. It should be noted that trembling of the arms and lower jaw of a baby up to 3 months of age is not always considered a pathology, unlike head tremors.

If a newborn's hands shake, then most often this is a consequence of the incomplete maturity of the neuroregulatory centers that are responsible for motor ability and control the amount of norepinephrine in the child's bloodstream when the first emotions appear.

The baby's nervous system, due to its immaturity, can be very sensitive, especially during certain periods of its life. This occurs at the stages of the formation of the nervous system: in the first month of life, as well as in the third, ninth and twelfth months. In order to monitor the maturation process, it is recommended to additionally visit a pediatric neurologist during these periods of the child's life.

If the tremors have not disappeared after 3 months, then you can suspect a problem with the baby's nervous system: the problem could have occurred in the womb or during labor. The cause could be:

• nervous stress of the expectant mother, which affected the child;
• disruption of the endocrine system of both mother and baby;
• oxygen deficiency of the fetus caused by impaired placental function, polyhydramnios, infectious diseases during pregnancy, abnormal labor processes, incorrect positioning of the umbilical cord, etc.;
• prematurity of the fetus.

Thus, trembling of the hands of a newborn baby up to 3 months, although not considered a pathology, requires constant monitoring by parents. In addition to observation, a visit to a neurologist, light massage and developmental gymnastics are recommended. Later, you can practice swimming in a bath or a special pool. And the main condition for further support of a stable nervous system of the child is peace and quiet in the family, love and attention of the parents, not only to the baby, but also to each other.

Hands of pregnant women shake

You can often notice how the hands of pregnant women shake. This becomes especially noticeable in the last stages of the gestation period. Many specialists do not consider this a pathology and explain this symptom by a disorder of electrolytic metabolism. Such a failure is usually associated with a deficiency in the pregnant woman's body of certain substances, such as magnesium, calcium and potassium. Nutritionists advise pregnant women to undergo a blood test for mineral content if they experience trembling in their hands, as well as pain and numbness in the limbs. In addition, you should sharply limit the amount of salt in your diet and drink enough liquid - at least 2 liters per day, preferably in the first half of the day.

Another reason for hand tremors during pregnancy may be physiological changes in small vessels - capillaries. This condition is also not related to pathology, but for your own safety it is recommended to visit a neurologist and vascular surgeon.

Hand tremors in pregnant women can sometimes be caused by neurological diseases that bothered the woman before pregnancy. In this situation, regular consultation with the attending physician is required.

There is another very common cause of hand tremors during pregnancy - these are diseases of the endocrine system, in particular, the thyroid gland. In order to identify or refute the presence of such a pathology, it is necessary to conduct a series of examinations by an endocrinologist.

Diagnosis of hand tremors

As a rule, specific diagnostics of hand tremors are not performed. Diagnostic procedures are most often aimed only at excluding certain diseases with a similar symptom. Most often, such diagnostics are sought from a neurologist, therapist, endocrinologist. The doctor will check the patient's nervous system functions to identify a number of possible disorders:

• work of the tendon reflex;
• degree of muscle tone;
• tissue sensitivity;
• the functioning of the vestibular system and motor coordination;
• gait stability.

Blood and urine tests can help detect diseases of the endocrine system (thyroid or pancreas).

Additionally, the doctor may prescribe functional tests, which include the following tasks:

• bring a full glass of water to your lips;
• stand with your arms outstretched in front of you;
• write some phrase (handwriting characteristics);
• draw a spiral line.

Based on the listed examinations, the doctor can make a diagnosis or refer the patient for additional diagnostics and consultations with specialized specialists (electromyography, electroencephalography, tomography, consultations with a neurosurgeon and geneticist).

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What to do if your hands are shaking?

There are also many everyday reasons why hands shake. Often, these reasons are rarely paid attention to and are not given due importance. Basically, these are bad habits, an unhealthy lifestyle, etc. What are these reasons, and can they be influenced?

• Hands shaking with a hangover is a seemingly ordinary situation. Why does this happen? The reason is the effect of ethyl alcohol on brain functions, namely, on the gray matter together with the anterior and posterior roots, which are responsible for the body's reflex reactions. In this case, the inhibitory function is impaired, which leads to trembling of the limbs and muscle tone disorders. With prolonged alcohol abuse, hyperkinetic states can also develop - high-amplitude uncontrolled movements. If your hands shake after sleep, this is a clear sign of a hangover. Indeed, alcoholics often have shaking hands in the morning. And regardless of the amount drunk the day before - be it a bottle of vodka or a glass of beer. At the same time, a tremor in the voice may appear, as well as throughout the body - this indicates widespread intoxication of the body. What to do: stop drinking alcohol, sleep more, consult a doctor about detoxifying the body.
• Sometimes hands shake after smoking, especially in experienced smokers. Why? When nicotine enters the lungs, it gets into the bloodstream and then into the brain structures within 8 seconds after a "puff". It negatively affects all functions of the nervous system: the blood vessels of the brain narrow, hypoxia of the nerve tissue occurs, and the synaptic transmission of nerve impulses significantly worsens. Hands shake especially noticeably after smoking in people with existing diseases of the nervous system, after injuries (contusion, concussion), as well as in children and adolescents with an immature nervous and circulatory system. Smokers often feel dizzy and their hands shake at the same time, which is also a consequence of a violation of nerve conduction with simultaneous narrowing of the blood vessels of the brain and periphery. What to do if this happens? The answer is clear: quit smoking.
• Why do hands shake after drinking coffee? As is known, coffee is a fairly strong stimulant that increases blood pressure and activates cardiac activity. If a person prone to high blood pressure drinks coffee, or drinks a significant amount of strong drink in a short time, then his pulse quickens, blood circulation increases, which causes hand tremors. Moreover, if too much coffee is drunk, then it can be noted that a person feels dizzy and his hands shake. This is already a result of blood pressure fluctuations due to the drink drunk. What to do if this happens? Regularly check your blood pressure: perhaps you should give up coffee, or drink it weak and in limited quantities.
• Hands are shaking and your head is hurting: the first thing that comes to mind is low blood pressure. To confirm this conclusion, you should measure your blood pressure and compare it with the pressure you are used to. If the pressure has dropped significantly, or this drop was sharp, then dizziness may be added to the listed symptoms. If your hands are shaking and the pressure is normal, look for another reason - for example, endocrine or cardiological.
• You can often hear: "My hands shake when I eat." Can this happen? Indeed, it can. This condition is a sign of a lack of glucose in the blood. The causes are prolonged fasting, both intentional and due to circumstances, as well as diabetes, when the glucose-insulin chain is broken. Other reasons for a sharp drop in glucose levels include significant physical activity or eating high-carbohydrate foods the day before. With a sharp decrease in blood sugar, hand tremors, weakness, possible dizziness and sweaty palms appear. After eating and normalizing glucose levels, such symptoms usually disappear.

Treatment for hand tremors

How to treat shaking hands directly depends on the cause that provoked this condition. Most often, treatment for hand tremors may consist of the following prescriptions:

• drugs based on levodopa and MAO inhibitors for Parkinsonism;
• drugs that eliminate tremors (ß-blockers) in physiological conditions or hereditary essential tremor;
• eliminating cravings for alcohol and prescribing B vitamins;
• medications that stabilize the production of thyroid hormones (antithyroid drugs);
• drugs that improve cerebral circulation (nootropic drugs, antiplatelet agents);
• drugs for the treatment of multiple sclerosis;
• detoxification therapy.

The most common pills for shaky hands are:

• ß-blockers (propranolol, atenolol, bisoprolol, metoprolol, etc.);
• anticonvulsants (hexamidine, trimethine, phenobarbital, fenacon, etc.);
• tranquilizers (phenazepam, atarax, seduxen, valium, lorafen, etc.);
• sedatives (valerian, motherwort, novo-passit, sedative infusions, valocordin, corvalol, etc.).

Relaxing massage, acupuncture sessions, aromatherapy, Botox therapy, physiotherapy, and exercise therapy have a good effect.

In severe cases, deep brain stimulation is used.

Prevention of hand tremors

What can be done to prevent hand tremors:

• refusal or limitation of coffee and strong tea, as well as other stimulating drinks (energy drinks);
• giving up bad habits – alcohol, smoking, etc.;
• full rest, development of stress resistance, learning relaxation techniques;
• light physical exercise – jogging, swimming, cycling, playing with a ball, etc.;
• normal sleep, at least 7-8 hours in a row, in a well-ventilated room.

Yoga and breathing exercises can be a good preventative measure against tremor. It is also necessary to improve your diet so that your diet contains sufficient amounts of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and B vitamins – essential elements for the normal functioning of the nervous system.

You should periodically monitor your blood pressure, undergo preventive thyroid examination, and have your blood and urine tested for sugar.

Don't make your stress worse: for example, if you have a fear of public speaking and you can't avoid it, take a sedative beforehand (before and after the speech). After the event, have a good rest, or better yet, get some sleep. If you're nervous for no reason, take a break, play with your children, take a walk in the park or forest. An excellent way to relieve stress is picking berries and mushrooms, or medicinal plants.

Hand tremors forecast

Physiological tremors, which are observed during metabolic disorders or intoxication of the body, are usually temporary and, as a rule, disappear after treatment of the underlying disease.

If the tremor is associated with Parkinson's disease, its dynamics may worsen as the disease progresses.

Long-term and severe pathological tremor may eventually lead to deterioration of motor coordination, which negatively affects the quality of a person's life. In such a case, the patient experiences serious difficulties with social and work adaptation.

If your hands are shaking, it does not always indicate any disease. Perhaps a person is simply too emotional, or depressed, or simply drank a cup of strong coffee. However, in any case, recurring hand tremors require constant observation, which will allow you to distinguish the norm from pathology in time.