Essential tremor

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Complications

By Mayo Clinic staff

Essential tremor is not life-threatening, but symptoms often worsen over time. If the tremors become severe, you may find it difficult to:

  • Hold a cup or glass without spilling
  • Eat normally
  • Put on makeup or shave
  • Talk, if your voice box or tongue is affected
  • Write — handwriting may become increasingly large, shaky and illegible
References
  1. Essential tremor. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/essential-tremor/show/print. Accessed June 12, 2010.
  2. Tarsy D. Overview of tremor. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 14, 2010.
  3. Eidelberg D, et al. Tremor. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec16/ch221/ch221i.html?qt=essential%20tremor&alt=sh. Accessed Aug. 8, 2010.
  4. Tarsy D. Pharmacologic treatment of essential tremor. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 14, 2010.
  5. Tarsy D. Surgical treatment of essential tremor. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 14, 2010.
  6. Tremor fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tremor/detail_tremor.htm?css=print. Accessed June 12, 2010.
  7. Louis ED. Essential tremors: A family of neurodegenerative disorders? Archives of Neurology. 2009;66:1202.
DS00367 Aug. 12, 2010

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