Hands are typically the most affected by ET, but it also can involve trunk, legs, voice, head, tongue or chin. In some, this is a non-progressive disease, but for others, symptoms slowly may progress to involve both sides of the body. These tremors aren’t life threatening, but severe tremors can lead to a disruption in daily activities.

Fifty percent of ET cases are traced to family genetics. There is a fair chance that a child will have tremors as he or she grows older if one or both of his or her parents also have tremors. Though the cause of other incidents of ET isn’t known, there are two theories that attempt to understand the mechanism that makes one’s hands shake. One theory is that there is a mild degeneration of certain parts of the cerebellum. Another theory is that there are abnormal electrical signals that are processed through the thalamus, a deeply buried brain organ that controls muscle activity. These signals are thought to cause tremors.

2. Usually, the first barely noticeable symptom of Parkinson’s disease is a tremor in one hand. It is a progressive illness that slows down movement and promotes stiffness in the body. It is thought that when certain brain cells, or neurons, die, dopamine levels produced by these cells decrease, and that creates abnormal brain activity, which leads to signs of Parkinson’s.

As the disease progresses, more symptoms appear, such as a shuffling gait, stooped posture, muscle pain and/or stiffness, lack of manual dexterity and a slowing down of motor activities. An example of this would be the inability to button a shirt or not swinging one’s arms when walking.  Also, speech may be slurred or slowed, and there may be a loss of facial expression.

3. Enhanced physiologic tremors are similar to essential tremors. These tremors worsen with intense stress and situations with high anxiety. They are also symptomatic of certain diseases such as hyperthyroidism (over-active thyroid) and hypoglycemia (low-blood sugar). And as previously mentioned, alcohol withdrawal along with sedative withdrawal could give you a case of the shakes.
4. Drug-induced tremors are related to the use of stimulants, caffeine, antidepressants and steroids. Often the tremor can be reduced or stopped by either changing the dosing schedule of the drug or the dosing amount. Toxins are also under this category as lead, mercury, and arsenic commonly are found in the environment. Removal of these toxins often stops the tremors after a period of recovery.