| You don't have to be Michael Jackson to | | | | in older people - symptoms frighteningly similar to |
| experience tremors or shaking hands. Most people | | | | Parkinson's disease. Sim¬ple withdrawal of the |
| have them at one time or another and their | | | | drug eliminates the shaking," according to Dr. |
| causes are as varied as the moves Jackson can | | | | Isadore Rosenfeld of the New York Hospital - |
| make. | | | | Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in |
| If your hands tremble, it could be the result of | | | | "Symptoms." |
| fatigue or tension. Mine usually does after long | | | | In other people, the presence of tremors is an |
| hours of writing. Others get the shakes after | | | | inherited tendency. Such a condition is called a |
| ironing clothes or doing heavy manual labor. | | | | benign or essential tremor and is common in old |
| Some shake when they are anxious or enraged. | | | | people. Unlike Parkinson's disease, an essential |
| Try holding up a flower to your favorite movie | | | | tremor is almost absent when the hand is at rest |
| star or cover girl and you'll see what I mean. In | | | | and becomes apparent when you do something. |
| those instances, however, the tremors are | | | | People who have this problem are not sick but |
| transient and should not concern you a bit. Those | | | | they should learn to deal with stress. |
| that do need a doctor's attention are the tremors | | | | "The condition is often present in several family |
| that won't go away or involve other parts of the | | | | members. It can start early in life and then clear |
| body such as the tongue and head. This could | | | | up, or it can get worse with age. It does not |
| signal serious diseases. | | | | reflect an under¬lying disease," Rosenfeld said. |
| Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder that | | | | Tremor can accompany a variety of diseases, |
| produces uncontrollable shaking of the limbs in | | | | including advanced liver trouble, kidney malfunction |
| addition to stiff muscles, drooling, and a mask-like | | | | and an overactive thyroid. Any brain disorder, |
| face. The tremor it brings is worst at rest and | | | | whether it's Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, a head |
| least with movement or during sleep. | | | | injury with concussion or a stroke, can also cause |
| No one knows what causes Parkinson's disease | | | | the shakes. But in these conditions, the tremor is |
| but people who have it usually lack a brain | | | | usually the least of the problem and not the |
| chemical called dopamine. Medical treatments with | | | | singular telltale or clinching symptom. |
| levodopa help the brain to manufacture its own | | | | "For example, in the case of an overactive |
| dopamine and control symptoms. | | | | thyroid, there's usually a constellation of other |
| Tremors can also follow the toxic action of | | | | symptoms: nervousness, palpitations, warm skin, |
| certain chemicals or drugs. This is true with the | | | | rapid pulse, bulging eyes, fine hair and quivering of |
| excessive intake of coffee or alcohol. The use of | | | | the extended tongue. If you suspect that's what |
| non-prescription drugs containing caffeine produces | | | | you have, extend your hands palm down, spread |
| a similar effect as do certain medicines your | | | | the fingers and put a piece of thin tissue paper |
| doctor dishes out. | | | | over the backs of the hands. A fine vibration is |
| "Medications taken by asthmatics to relax their | | | | typical of hyperthyroidism," Rosenfeld explained. |
| constricted air passages (theophylline) and by | | | | In summary, taming the tremor lies in correcting |
| epileptics to control their seizures (Dilantin) may | | | | any underlying disorder. Bo sure to see a doctor |
| also induce tremors. Compazine, an excellent | | | | to deter¬mine if you're shaking is a real |
| tranquilizer and antinauseant, will every now and | | | | problem or simply stress-related. |
| then produce tremor and head-bobbing, especially | | | | |