Hand Tremors – Symptoms, Causes, And Natural Treatments

Do you experience shaky hands or hand tremors while holding a cup of coffee or a pen or before an interview? Well, you are not alone. There are many out there suffering from this condition. It can often make you socially awkward and can be of great concern if it is due to an underlying medical condition. If you have been on the lookout for some natural ways to treat this issue, you are in the right place. Continue reading to know more about hand tremors and how to treat them.

What Are Hand Tremors?

An unintentional rhythmic movement of any of your body parts is referred to as a tremor. Hand tremors are when your hands keep shaking or trembling continuously. They can occur due to problems with the functioning of the parts of your brain that control movement.

Shaky hands can occur alone or be accompanied by tremors or neurological disturbances in other body parts. Let’s look at the symptoms of this condition.

Signs And Symptoms Of Shaky Hands

The most common signs and symptoms of shaky hands include:

• Rhythmic shaking of your hands
• Shaky voice
• Problem in holding or controlling objects (especially utensils)

Although many believe that the root cause of hand tremors is Parkinson’s disease, the most common cause is an essential tremor. The following section speaks about the causes of and risk factors for hand tremors.

Causes Of And Risk Factors For Hand Tremors

Essential tremor is one of the most common causes of neurological disorders like hand tremors. It is thought to be caused by a disruption in the normal functioning of the cerebellum.
Other causes of shaky hands include:

• Seizure
• Overactive thyroid
• Cerebellar diseases
• Certain medications
• Stress and anxiety
• Low blood sugar

Factors that increase your risk of developing shaky hands are:

• Overconsumption of alcohol
• Overdose of caffeine
• Advancing age
• A family history of essential tremor
• Emotional stress
• Hunger
• Smoking tobacco
• Fatigue
• Extremely hot or cold climate

It is best to get yourself diagnosed to rule out other possibilities. Given below are some of the basic tests used to diagnose shaky hands.

Diagnosis For Hand Tremors

Most often, doctors diagnose shaky hands by observing the tremors to rule out other causes. Another test includes
an imaging test (CT or MRI scan) to determine if any underlying medical condition is causing the condition.

Once you are diagnosed with hand tremors, your doctor may prescribe medications, such as beta blockers and anti-seizure and anti-anxiety drugs, to treat your condition.

Individuals with an advanced tremor may be suggested to opt for surgeries such as:

• Deep Brain Stimulation: It involves placing an electrode in your brain to interfere with the activity of your brain that is responsible for causing tremors.
• Thalamotomy: This procedure involves making a small lesion in the thalamus of your brain to reduce the tremor.

If you do not want to go through a medical procedure for treating your condition, we have something that might interest you. Listed below are some excellent home remedies that can help you achieve relief from hand tremors in the most natural way possible.

Home Remedies To Stop Hand Tremors

1. Essential Oils

a. Lavender Oil

You Will Need

• 3 drops of lavender oil
• A diffuser
• Water (as required)

What You Have To Do

1. Add three drops of lavender oil to a diffuser filled with water.
2. Inhale the diffused aromatic air.
3. Alternatively, you can add about 10 to 15 drops of lavender oil to your bath and soak in it for 20 to 30 minutes.

How Often You Should Do This

You must do this 1 to 2 times daily.

Why This Works

Aromatherapy helps a lot when it comes to treating nervous disorders, such as shaky hands. Lavender oil exhibits powerful properties that relieve stress and anxiety, which can also help treat hand tremors (1), (2).

b. Chamomile Oil

You Will Need

• 3 drops of chamomile oil
• A diffuser
• Water (as required)

What You Have To Do

1. Add three drops of chamomile oil to a diffuser filled with water.
2. Inhale the diffused chamomile aroma.

How Often You Should Do This

You must do this 1 to 2 times daily.

Why This Works

Like lavender oil, chamomile essential oil is also capable of relieving issues like shaky hands, which are related to stress and anxiety. The oil can also alleviate depression (3), (4).

2. Vitamins

In some cases, deficiencies in certain vitamins can also cause tremors.

Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, is needed to maintain healthy nerves, and a deficiency in it can lead to a breakdown of the protective cell coating required for proper nerve functioning (5).

Another vitamin that helps treat shaky hands is vitamin B1, whose deficiency can lead to nerve damage and a condition called beriberi, which, in turn, puts you at a higher risk of developing shaky hands (6).

The antioxidant vitamin E can also help in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, a major cause of hand tremors (7).

You can consume foods like cheese, milk, eggs, lentils, sprouts, sunflower seeds, and hazelnuts to get the required amounts of these vitamins via your diet.

3. Coconut Oil

You Will Need

1-2 teaspoons of virgin coconut oil

What You Have To Do

1. Begin by consuming a teaspoon of coconut oil per day.
2. Gradually, start consuming two teaspoons of it daily.

How Often You Should Do This

You must do this once daily.

Why This Works

The medium-chain fatty acids present in coconut oil exhibit antidepressant and anti-stress activities (8). The oil also helps with tremors and other symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, which is one of the leading causes of hand tremors (9).

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

You Will Need

• 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
• 1 glass of warm water

What You Have To Do

1. Add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water and stir well.
2. Drink this mixture.

How Often You Should Do This

You must drink this at least once daily.

Why This Works

Although there is no direct scientific evidence that supports the use of apple cider vinegar (ACV) for treating hand tremors, many individuals swear by it. It is believed that a compound called pectin in ACV alleviates the tremor symptoms.

5. Lemon Balm

You Will Need

Lemon balm (as required)

What You Have To Do

1. You can add lemon balm to your favorite salads, teas, and other dishes.
2. You can also replace lemon peel with lemon balm for enhanced flavoring as well as benefits.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this daily.

Why This Works

Lemon balm is another wonderful remedy to treat shaky hands. It can help soothe your brain cells and reduce anxiety and depression, which may be responsible for hand tremors (10).

6. Chamomile Tea

You Will Need

• 1 teaspoon of chamomile tea
• 1 cup of water
• Honey

What You Have To Do

1. Add a teaspoon of chamomile tea to a cup of water.
2. Bring this to a boil in a saucepan and simmer.
3. Strain and wait for the tea to cool a little before adding a little honey.
4. Drink it up.

How Often You Should Do This

Do this 2 to 3 times daily.

Why This Works

Chamomile tea has a calming effect on the nerves and can help relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. This, in turn, can help in treating shaky hands (11).

7. Passionflower

You Will Need

• 1-2 teaspoons of passionflower tea
• 1 cup of water
• Honey

What You Have To Do

1. Add one to two teaspoons of passionflower tea to a cup of water.
2. Bring it to a boil in a saucepan and strain.
3. When the tea cools down a little, add honey to it.
4. Mix well and drink.

How Often You Should Do This

You must drink this at least twice daily.

Why This Works

Passionflower (Passiflora) is an excellent remedy for treating hand tremors. It can help relieve stress and anxiety in the body, which, in turn, can soothe your nervous system (12).

8. Kava Kava

You Will Need

• 2 tablespoons of kava powder
• 1 glass of juice, water, or milk

What You Have To Do

1. Add two tablespoons of kava powder to a glass of water.
2. Mix well and consume.

How Often You Should Do This

You must take this once daily for a few weeks to notice the difference.

Why This Works

Kava is a popular herbal remedy that calms your nerves, relieves anxiety, and promotes sleep (13). It can also help relieve hand tremors.

9. Corydalis

You Will Need

• 2-3 teaspoons of dried corydalis root
• 1 cup of water
• Honey

What You Have To Do

1. Bring two to three teaspoons of corydalis root to a boil in a saucepan.
2. Simmer for 5 minutes and strain.
3. When it cools down a bit, add honey to it and consume.

How Often You Should Do This

You must do this 1 to 2 times daily.

Why This Works

A corydalis compound was observed to exhibit anxiolytic activities and decrease motor movements (14). Both these properties are beneficial for individuals suffering from shaky hands.

You must also consider making some basic changes to your diet while following these remedies for better effectiveness.

Best Foods For Hand Tremors

Following a Mediterranean diet is one of the best ways to deal with hand tremors. A Mediterranean diet consists of foods like:

• Fresh and unprocessed foods like fruits and vegetables
• Olive oil
• Fish
• Nuts
• Herbs
• Red wine

While you can consume all these foods in moderation, you must avoid foods like butter, red meat, and salt.

You must also follow these tips to prevent the recurrence of this condition.

Prevention Tips

• Stop intake of caffeine.
• Give up smoking.
• Reduce or avoid alcohol intake.
• Check the medications you are taking to find out if they are causing the tremors.
• Keep a check on your blood sugar levels.
• Practice yoga and meditation to relieve stress and anxiety.

Since hand tremors can interfere with your day to day life, it is best to try and gain control over them at the earliest. The remedies and tips provided in this post can help you do just that. However, if the tremors are getting out of control, it is best to seek medical attention.

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Author

Shaheen NaserHealth & Wellness Writer

 

Shaheen holds a postgraduate degree in Human Genetics and Molecular Biology from Bharathiar University. She is a Geneticist with proficiency in Biotechnology, Immunology, Medical Genetics, Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Genetic Counseling.

Read full bio of Shaheen Naser