Familial tremor

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Central nervous system

Tremor - familial

The tremors may come and go. They typically affect the head, hands, arms, eyelids, or voice. Less commonly, a tremor may affect the lower body. Tremors may not affect both sides of the body equally.

The tremors:

• Get worse with voluntary movement and emotional stress
• Disappear during sleep
• May improve when drinking alcohol

Diagnosis is usually made on the basis of the patient's history and an examination that reveals tremors on voluntary movement with no changes in gait or coordination. There are usually no other problems or changes in mental status or brain function.

No other tests may be required. However, testing may be used to rule out other causes of tremors such as excessive caffeine intake, alcohol withdrawal, medication use, hyperthyroidism, pheochromocytoma, Wilson's disease, or other disorders. Laboratory tests and a head CT scan, MRI, x-rays, angiography, or other tests are usually normal.

Review Date: 08/26/2006
Reviewed By: Gail A. Kang, M.D., San Francisco VA Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, & Clinical Center, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.