4 major causes of shaky or trembling hands and 6 ways of stopping it  

Tremors are considered involuntary rhythmic muscle contractions that can cause body parts to shake or tremble, with those that occur in the hands particularly common. Everyone has what is called a physiologic tremor, which is believed to occur when a person moves or maintains a particular posture. However, in most people, tremors that manifest in the form of shaky hands may signal an underlying medical condition.

For such people, rather than being a minor inconvenience, shaky hands or hand tremors can become a source of concern as they can interfere with their ability to perform the most basic of actions, including holding a cup or cup. According to Amanda Barrell of Medicalnewstoday, hand tremors may be more noticeable when such people hold their hands out straight in front of the body or when they are stressed or anxious.

It is worth stating that while tremors mostly affect the hands, they can also occur in other body parts, such as the head, arms, legs, torso, and voice box (larynx), which may cause a shaky voice. Thus, a person may experience shaky hands when their muscles are relaxed, including when the hands are resting on the lap. They may also experience it when muscles are contracted due to voluntary movement. The majority of tremors are action tremors.

What then are the major causes of shaky or trembling hands? The major causes are examined below:

1. Enhanced physiologic tremor

Enhanced physiologic tremor (EPT) refers to a more noticeable form of physiologic tremor, which usually affects the hands and fingers on both sides of the body. The known causes of enhanced physiologic tremors include stress, anxiety, fatigue, lack of sleep, excessive caffeine intake, vigorous exercise and overactive thyroid. This usually does not require medical treatment, except the affected individual relies on fine muscle coordination for their work or other activities.

2. Neurological conditions

Generally, shaky hands are believed to be caused by an issue in the deep parts of the brain that control movement. Some of the neurological conditions that can cause shaky hands include the following:

I. Multiple sclerosis (MS): This is a degenerative disease that attacks the brain and spinal cord, making it difficult for the nerves to relay messages. Shaky hands may develop when the disease damages areas in the pathways of the central nervous system that control movement.

II. Parkinson’s disease (PD): This disease often leads to a loss of nerve cells in a part of the brain that plays a critical role in motor movement. Studies have shown that 75% of people with Parkinson’s disease often have shaky hands, and this usually starts on one side of the body but may spread to the opposite side.

III. Stroke: Stroke can also make a person more vulnerable to shaky or trembling hands. This is because stroke can damage the basal ganglia or cerebellum, thus making the affected person have resting tremors or intention tremors respectively.

IV. Traumatic brain injury (TBI): This is not a common tremor, but can nevertheless occur when specific brain areas which are responsible for movement are damaged.

V. Dystonia: Dystonia is a movement disorder in which involuntary muscle contractions cause repetitive, involuntary movements and postures. In people with this condition, shaky hands may be either jerky and irregular, regular and wave-like, or mixed.

3. Health conditions

According to Amanda Barrell of Medicalnewstoday, certain health issues may also make an individual experience shaky or trembling hands. Such medical conditions include hyperthyroidism, alcohol misuse or withdrawal, mercury poisoning, liver or kidney failure, anxiety or panic, psychiatric conditions, such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, and inherited degenerative disorders, such as hereditary ataxia or fragile X syndrome.

4. Medications

The intake of some drugs or medications has also been found to cause shaky hands in some people. Such drugs include some asthma medications, drugs for psychiatric conditions, seizure medications, anti-arrhythmic drugs, cancer medications, medications that suppress the immune system, corticosteroids, certain antiviral drugs, specific antibiotics, amphetamine, and caffeine.

How to stop the hands from shaking

According to Medicalnewstoday, some of the methods that people who are affected by shaky or trembling hands can use to stop their hands from shaking include the following:

1. Lifestyle changes: Lifestyle is a major contributor to hand tremors or shaky hands, and as such, making certain lifestyle changes may help reduce hand tremors in people with enhanced physiologic tremors. These include avoiding vigorous exercise, avoiding excess alcohol consumption, and avoiding stimulants, such as caffeine and amphetamines.

2. Treating underlying conditions: In some cases, a person may experience shaky hands because of an underlying medical condition, including hyperthyroidism or alcohol withdrawal. Addressing the underlying health condition can help put a stop to the condition.

3. Psychological techniques: Utilising certain psychological techniques may prove helpful to people who experience shaky hands as a result of anxiety or panic attacks. A few of the psychological techniques that may come in handy include practising relaxation techniques, such as mindfulness and breathing exercises.

4. Switching medications: As explained earlier, shaky hands may develop because a person is taking certain medications. If that is the case, it is recommended that the person should report the side effect of the medication to their doctor. The doctor may be able to adjust the medication dosage or switch the person to a different drug.

5. Physical therapy: For people with severe hand tremors, enrolling the help of a physical therapist can help bring improvements by teaching the affected person certain exercises that can improve coordination, balance, muscle control, functioning, and strength.