About all

Tremors and ms: Page not available – PMC

by alexxlab

MS Tremors (Postural, Intention, Nystagmus) Causes & Treatment

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

  • What Is a Tremor?
  • What Are the Types of Tremors?
  • Why Does MS Cause Tremors?
  • Medicines That Treat MS Tremors
  • Nonmedicinal Tremor Treatments
  • Tremors and Depression
  • More

A tremor is when a body part moves or shakes and you can’t control it. Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have some form of tremor they can’t control, in different parts of their bodies, like their head, arms, or legs.

  • Intention tremor. There’s no shaking when you’re at rest. It starts when you try to reach or grasp something or move your hand or foot to a precise spot. This is the most common form of MS tremor, and it usually causes the most problems in day-to-day life.
  • Postural tremors. You shake when you sit or stand, but not when you lie down.
  • Resting tremor. You move more when you’re sitting still and less when you move. This is more common with Parkinson’s disease than MS.
  • Nystagmus. This type causes jumpy eye movements.

This disease damages the protective sheath (myelin) that covers the nerves in your brain and spinal cord. Tremors result from damage to a part of your brain called the cerebellum. It controls your balance and coordination and smooths out the actions that you make when you move your limbs and eyes or speak.

These problems are one of the hardest MS symptoms to treat. There aren’t any drugs made just to treat MS tremors. Your doctors may prescribe drugs for another condition that could help, like:

  • Acetazolamide (Diamox), which treats a type of glaucoma and altitude sickness
  • Buspirone (Buspar) and clonazepam (Klonopin), which are anti-anxiety drugs
  • Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril), an antihistamine
  • Isoniazid (INH), a drug for tuberculosis
  • Primidone (Mysoline), a seizure medicine
  • Propranolol (Inderal), which treats heart problems, high blood pressure, and migraines

 

  • Braces: These can hold your joint still and stop extra movement. A brace on your ankle or foot can make it easier to walk. They can help control your arm, hand, or neck, too.
  • Deep brain stimulation: This experimental approach is mostly used for people who have tremors from Parkinson’s disease. A doctor implants electrodes into your brain. Wires connect them to a gadget in your chest. You use it to send your brain signals that stop the tremors.
  • Medical cannabis: There’s little evidence that cannabis can help with tremors, but study results are mixed and usually only include small numbers of people.
  • Physical therapy: It can show you exercises that increase your range of motion, improve your posture and balance, and make your body more stable
  • Speech therapy: If you have tremors in your lips, tongue, or jaw, a health professional can work with you to slow your speech, make it clearer, and control the volume.
  • Occupational therapist: This person will set you up with special tools called adaptive or assistive devices. They can help you grab things from up high or off the floor, pull up a zipper, or hold a fork more easily.
  • Weights: Adding extra weight to a body part can help keep it still. You can also add weights to commonly used items like forks, pencils, pens, eating utensils, canes, and walkers.

Tremors can be tough to handle in social situations. You may feel like you want to be alone, but that can make you feel lonely and depressed. A psychologist or counselor can help you find ways to feel more comfortable in public and keep the tremors from changing how you live your life.

Top Picks

MS Tremors (Postural, Intention, Nystagmus) Causes & Treatment

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

  • What Is a Tremor?
  • What Are the Types of Tremors?
  • Why Does MS Cause Tremors?
  • Medicines That Treat MS Tremors
  • Nonmedicinal Tremor Treatments
  • Tremors and Depression
  • More

A tremor is when a body part moves or shakes and you can’t control it. Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) have some form of tremor they can’t control, in different parts of their bodies, like their head, arms, or legs.

  • Intention tremor. There’s no shaking when you’re at rest. It starts when you try to reach or grasp something or move your hand or foot to a precise spot. This is the most common form of MS tremor, and it usually causes the most problems in day-to-day life.
  • Postural tremors. You shake when you sit or stand, but not when you lie down.
  • Resting tremor. You move more when you’re sitting still and less when you move. This is more common with Parkinson’s disease than MS.
  • Nystagmus. This type causes jumpy eye movements.

This disease damages the protective sheath (myelin) that covers the nerves in your brain and spinal cord. Tremors result from damage to a part of your brain called the cerebellum. It controls your balance and coordination and smooths out the actions that you make when you move your limbs and eyes or speak.

These problems are one of the hardest MS symptoms to treat. There aren’t any drugs made just to treat MS tremors. Your doctors may prescribe drugs for another condition that could help, like:

  • Acetazolamide (Diamox), which treats a type of glaucoma and altitude sickness
  • Buspirone (Buspar) and clonazepam (Klonopin), which are anti-anxiety drugs
  • Hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril), an antihistamine
  • Isoniazid (INH), a drug for tuberculosis
  • Primidone (Mysoline), a seizure medicine
  • Propranolol (Inderal), which treats heart problems, high blood pressure, and migraines

 

  • Braces: These can hold your joint still and stop extra movement. A brace on your ankle or foot can make it easier to walk. They can help control your arm, hand, or neck, too.
  • Deep brain stimulation: This experimental approach is mostly used for people who have tremors from Parkinson’s disease. A doctor implants electrodes into your brain. Wires connect them to a gadget in your chest. You use it to send your brain signals that stop the tremors.
  • Medical cannabis: There’s little evidence that cannabis can help with tremors, but study results are mixed and usually only include small numbers of people.
  • Physical therapy: It can show you exercises that increase your range of motion, improve your posture and balance, and make your body more stable
  • Speech therapy: If you have tremors in your lips, tongue, or jaw, a health professional can work with you to slow your speech, make it clearer, and control the volume.
  • Occupational therapist: This person will set you up with special tools called adaptive or assistive devices. They can help you grab things from up high or off the floor, pull up a zipper, or hold a fork more easily.
  • Weights: Adding extra weight to a body part can help keep it still. You can also add weights to commonly used items like forks, pencils, pens, eating utensils, canes, and walkers.

Tremors can be tough to handle in social situations. You may feel like you want to be alone, but that can make you feel lonely and depressed. A psychologist or counselor can help you find ways to feel more comfortable in public and keep the tremors from changing how you live your life.

Top Picks

Metabolic syndrome. What is Metabolic Syndrome?

IMPORTANT
The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor.

Metabolic syndrome is a symptom complex, manifested by a violation of the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, an increase in blood pressure. Patients develop arterial hypertension, obesity, insulin resistance and ischemia of the heart muscle. Diagnosis includes an examination by an endocrinologist, determination of body mass index and waist circumference, assessment of the lipid spectrum, blood glucose. If necessary, an ultrasound examination of the heart and a daily measurement of blood pressure are performed. Treatment consists of lifestyle changes: active sports, a special diet, normalization of weight and hormonal status.

    • Causes of metabolic syndrome
    • Metabolic syndrome symptoms
    • Complications
    • Diagnostics
    • Treatment of metabolic syndrome
    • Prognosis and prevention
    • Prices for treatment

    General

    Metabolic syndrome (syndrome X) is a comorbid disease that includes several pathologies at once: diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, obesity, coronary heart disease. The term “syndrome X” was first introduced at the end of the twentieth century by the American scientist Gerald Riven. The prevalence of the disease ranges from 20 to 40%. The disease most often affects people aged 35 to 65 years, male patients are predominantly affected. In women, the risk of developing the syndrome after menopause increases by 5 times. Over the past 25 years, the number of children with this disorder has increased to 7% and continues to increase.

    metabolic syndrome

    Causes of metabolic syndrome

    Syndrome X is a pathological condition that develops under the simultaneous influence of several factors. The main reason is a violation of the sensitivity of cells to insulin. Insulin resistance is based on genetic predisposition, diseases of the pancreas. Other factors contributing to the occurrence of a symptom complex include:

    • Malnutrition. Increased consumption of carbohydrates and fats, as well as overeating, lead to weight gain. If the number of calories consumed exceeds energy expenditure, body fat accumulates.
    • Adynamia. An inactive lifestyle, “sedentary” work, lack of sports load contribute to a slowdown in metabolism, obesity and the appearance of insulin resistance.
    • Hypertension. Long-term uncontrolled episodes of hypertension cause circulatory disorders in arterioles and capillaries, vasospasm occurs, and tissue metabolism is disturbed.
    • Nervous tension. Stress, intense experiences lead to endocrine disorders and overeating.
    • Hormonal imbalance in women. During menopause, testosterone levels increase and estrogen production decreases. This causes a slowdown in the metabolism in the body and an increase in body fat according to the android type.
    • Hormonal imbalance in men. A decrease in testosterone levels after 45 contributes to weight gain, impaired insulin metabolism, and increased blood pressure.

    Metabolic syndrome symptoms

    The first signs of metabolic disorders are fatigue, apathy, unmotivated aggression and a bad mood when hungry. Usually patients are selective in their choice of food, they prefer “fast” carbohydrates (cakes, bread, sweets). Consumption of sweets causes short-term mood swings. Further development of the disease and atherosclerotic changes in the vessels lead to periodic pain in the heart, heart attacks. High insulin levels and obesity provoke disorders of the digestive system, the appearance of constipation. The function of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system is disturbed, tachycardia, tremor of the extremities develop.

    The disease is characterized by an increase in the fat layer not only in the chest, abdomen, upper limbs, but also around the internal organs (visceral fat). A sharp weight gain contributes to the appearance of burgundy striae (stretch marks) on the skin of the abdomen and thighs. There are frequent episodes of increased blood pressure above 139/89 mm Hg. Art., accompanied by nausea, headache, dry mouth and dizziness. There is hyperemia of the upper half of the body, due to a violation of the tone of peripheral vessels, increased sweating due to malfunctions in the autonomic nervous system.

    Complications

    Metabolic syndrome leads to hypertension, atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries and cerebral vessels and, as a result, heart attack and stroke. The state of insulin resistance causes the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its complications – retinopathy and diabetic nephropathy. In men, the symptom complex contributes to a weakening of potency and impaired erectile function. In women, syndrome X is the cause of polycystic ovaries, endometriosis, and decreased libido. In reproductive age, menstrual irregularities and infertility may develop.

    Diagnostics

    Metabolic syndrome has no obvious clinical symptoms; the pathology is often diagnosed at a late stage after the onset of complications. Diagnostics includes:

    • Specialist inspection. An endocrinologist examines the history of life and disease (heredity, daily routine, diet, concomitant diseases, living conditions), conducts a general examination (BP parameters, weighing). If necessary, the patient is referred for a consultation with a nutritionist, cardiologist, gynecologist or andrologist.
    • Determination of anthropometric indicators. The android type of obesity is diagnosed by measuring waist circumference. With syndrome X, this indicator in men is more than 102 cm, in women – 88 cm. Excess weight is detected by calculating the body mass index (BMI) using the formula BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)². Obesity is diagnosed with a BMI greater than 30.
    • Laboratory tests. Lipid metabolism is disturbed: the level of cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides rises, the level of HDL decreases. Disorder of carbohydrate metabolism leads to an increase in glucose and insulin in the blood.
    • Additional research. According to the indications, daily monitoring of blood pressure, ECG, ECHO-KG, ultrasound of the liver and kidneys, glycemic profile and glucose tolerance test are prescribed.

    Metabolic disorders should be differentiated from the disease and Itsenko-Cushing’s syndrome. If difficulties arise, the determination of the daily excretion of cortisol in the urine, the dexamethasone test, the tomography of the adrenal glands or the pituitary gland are performed. Differential diagnosis of a metabolic disorder is also performed with autoimmune thyroiditis, hypothyroidism, pheochromocytoma, and stromal ovarian hyperplasia syndrome. In this case, the level of ACTH, prolactin, FSH, LH, thyroid-stimulating hormone is additionally determined.

    Treatment of metabolic syndrome

    Treatment of syndrome X involves complex therapy aimed at normalizing weight, blood pressure parameters, laboratory parameters and hormonal levels.

    • Power mode. Patients need to exclude easily digestible carbohydrates (pastries, sweets, sugary drinks), fast food, canned foods, limit the amount of salt and pasta consumed. The daily diet should include fresh vegetables, seasonal fruits, cereals, lean fish and meat. Food should be consumed 5-6 times a day in small portions, chewing thoroughly and not drinking water. From drinks it is better to choose unsweetened green or white tea, fruit drinks and compotes without added sugar.
    • Physical activity. In the absence of contraindications from the musculoskeletal system, jogging, swimming, Nordic walking, Pilates and aerobics are recommended. Physical activity should be regular, at least 2-3 times a week. Useful morning exercises, daily walks in the park or forest belt.
    • Medical therapy. Medications are prescribed to treat obesity, reduce pressure, normalize the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. In violation of glucose tolerance, metformin preparations are used. Correction of dyslipidemia with the ineffectiveness of dietary nutrition is carried out with statins. For hypertension, ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, beta-blockers are used. To normalize weight, drugs are prescribed that reduce the absorption of fats in the intestines.

    Prognosis and prevention

    With timely diagnosis and treatment of the metabolic syndrome, the prognosis is favorable. Late detection of pathology and the lack of complex therapy cause serious complications in the kidneys and cardiovascular system. Prevention of the syndrome includes a balanced diet, giving up bad habits, and regular exercise. It is necessary to control not only weight, but also the parameters of the figure (waist circumference). In the presence of concomitant endocrine diseases (hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus), dispensary observation of an endocrinologist and a study of the hormonal background are recommended.

    Sources

    1. treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor.

      Medical Scientific and Educational Center of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov