Often common, shaky hands or hand tremors aren't just an inconvenience that holds you back from doing your everyday tasks — they could be indicating an underlying health condition that you should examine and look into. Many people frequently wonder, “Why do my hands shake when I hold something?” or notice their hands shaking uncontrollably without knowing the reason. Join us as we provide more information about this condition, its causes, and available treatment options. Moreover, we will be answering some of the most common questions about why your hands shake and what to do when you shake uncontrollably
What are Tremors?
Tremors are continuous involuntary movements of a certain body part that make it appear like it's shaking. They are considered to be the most common type of uncontrollable body movements, and they can affect multiple body parts, such as:
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The hands
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The head
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The trunk
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The voice
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The legs
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The torso
Even while they can occur at any age, they typically first manifest in youth or later in life (between 40 and 50 years of age). It may begin mildly and remain that way, or it may gradually worsen.
There are two main types of tremors:
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Resting Tremor: This type occurs when the affected body part is resting and not doing any voluntary movements. This type is often linked to Parkinson's disease, but can also be triggered by other neurological dysfunctions. Moreover, it typically affects the hands and feet, and it tends to significantly decrease when the affected body part is moving voluntarily.
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Action Tremor: This type mainly occurs during voluntary movement of the affected body part, and it's mainly associated with ET, alcohol withdrawal, medicine side effects, and dystonia. It’s also the most common answer to “Why do my hands shake when I hold something?” since it happens when muscles are engaged in active motion.
Why are my Hands Shaking?
If you’re wondering, “Why does my hand shake when I hold something,” or feel your hands shaking uncontrollably during fine motor tasks, it’s important to explore potential triggers. Tremors could either be normal or indicate an underlying health issue that you should look more into. Here are some of the common causes of shaking hands.
Neurological Conditions:
- Traumatic Brain Injury: Depending on the place and severity of the injury, TBI could lead to the development of various neurological conditions, including tremors. They can manifest as action, resting, or a combination of both.
- Cerebellar Disorders: The cerebellum is the part of the brain that’s in charge of balance and movement coordination. When the cerebellum is affected by any disorder, it could lead to causing involuntary trembling movements and difficulties in managing and controlling motor functions.
- Strokes: When the required blood supply to a portion of the brain gets interrupted for any reason, the brain tissue gets damaged, which causes a stroke. Depending on the location and extent of this said brain damage, the stroke can cause a variety of symptoms, including neurological ones like involuntary movements of the body.
- Multiple Sclerosis: MS is a long-term autoimmune disease that affects the parts of the body that make up the central nervous system, which are the spinal cord and brain. This disease can be the main cause of developing several neurological symptoms other than involuntary muscle shaking, such as fatigue, numbness, and overall muscle weakness.
- Parkinson's Disease: Parkinson's is a chronic neurological disease that mainly affects the neurons responsible for producing dopamine, which plays a role in managing motor functions. This dopamine deficiency causes symptoms like stiffness, slowed movement of the body, resting tremors, and an overall impairment of the body's balance and coordination.
Patients often report that their hands shake uncontrollably when they try to perform everyday activities, and doctors may test to find whether it’s due to a neurological cause or simply anxiety-induced shaking.
Metabolic Disorders:
- Hyperthyroidism: This condition is defined by the excessive production of thyroid hormones in the body due to an overly active thyroid gland, which leads to several symptoms that include uncontrollable body movement that typically impacts the hands and fingers, weight loss, and anxiety.
- Hypoglycemia: This condition is defined by the excessive production of thyroid hormones in the body due to an overly active thyroid gland, which leads to several symptoms that include uncontrollable body movement that typically impacts the hands and fingers, weight loss, and anxiety. If you’ve noticed your hand shaking uncontrollably while holding small objects, a thyroid imbalance might be a contributing factor.
- Liver Failure: Liver failure is the result of the liver being unable to function properly which leads to a buildup of toxins that flows through the bloodstream. This could lead to developing a condition called flapping tremors which are defined by flapping movements of the hands.
Medications:
- Asthma Medications: Asthma Medications tend to have a stimulatory effect on the nervous system, therefore, they could cause involuntary muscle contractions as a side effect.
- Antidepressants: Because antidepressants tend to alter the amount of neurotransmitters in the brain, tremors can be a side effect of such medications.
- Stimulants: Due to their high stimulatory effect on the nervous system, stimulant medications tend to cause uncontrollable muscle movements as a side effect.
Physical Therapy:
- Occupational Therapy: This type of therapy works by teaching patients different techniques and methods that help them in managing their day-to-day tasks and activities. Therapists could also provide patients with great assistive devices and gadgets that makes coping with the symptoms much easier.
- Physical Therapy: Physical therapy improves muscle strength, control, and overall coordination through a variety of exercises and techniques. Therapists can help patients find specific and individualized methods and approaches for improving functional abilities. These exercises could include stretching, coordination, and strengthening exercises and physical activities that work to solely improve motor functions and reduce tremors.
Specialists in physical therapy often encounter patients who ask, “Why do my hands shake when I hold something?” — Tailored motor control exercises can help improve steadiness and minimize uncontrollable shaking.
Are Hand Tremors Normal? And How do I Stop Them?
It's relatively common to have hand tremors, and it could happen to anyone at any age. It shouldn't necessarily indicate anything serious, but if it does, here are some of the expected treatment options:
Medications:
- Beta-blockers: These medications work by blocking the effects of adrenaline on your body's beta-adrenergic receptors, which reduces the severity of the shaking.
- Anticonvulsants: These medications can be very useful for ET patients. They stabilize the electrical activity in the brain which reduces uncontrollable movements.
- Benzodiazepines: This type of medication is mainly used to treat ET and other types of tremors by enhancing the action of the GABA in the brain, which regulates involuntary movements in the body.
If you’ve been wondering, “Why does my hand shake when I hold something?” these medications might help reduce the involuntary movements by stabilizing the nervous system’s activity.
Herbal Remedies and Supplements:
- Passionflower: This natural remedy helps calm down your body and reduce shaking in a natural chemical-free way by using its anti-anxiety and stress relieving properties.
- Valerian Root: This herbal remedy is known for its ability to reduce tremors and promote relaxation throughout the body by using its sedative and muscle-relaxing properties.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Omega-3 fatty acids are widely recognized for their several and very beneficial properties. They have proven to enhance the brain's function and reduce any irregularities that could be causing any unusual activity in the brain.
Natural approaches can be effective for people whose hand shakes uncontrollably due to stress or nervousness. However, persistent symptoms should always be evaluated by a doctor.
Lifestyle Modifications:
- Reduce Caffeine Intake: It's crucial for people who suffer from involuntary muscle contractions to reduce their caffeine intake as much as they can due to its role in triggering these symptoms.
- Manage Stress and Anxiety: Stress and anxiety can worsen many conditions, not just this one. This is why you have to make sure to keep yourself in a calm environment and practice things that aid in stress reduction like yoga, physical exercises, meditation, and deep breathing.
- Use Adaptive Devices: To lessen the impact of handshaking on productivity, tools like pen grips, stabilizing cups, and weighted utensils can be very beneficial for enhancing grip and overall hand control.
If you’re trying to figure out “Why do my hands shake when I hold something,” it’s worth examining your lifestyle — caffeine, stress, or even poor posture can all play a part. Learning relaxation and strengthening techniques can help control uncontrollable hand shaking.
Explore Our Steadi-3 Solution:
From surgical treatments to medications, there are many ways to deal with symptoms like tremors. Our team's vision is to provide a very practical coping mechanism that could assist patients at any time, wherever they may be.
If you experience hand shaking uncontrollably, our Steadi-3 glove remarkably handles your symptoms, making them disappear in an instant. It will help you gain back control over your body, which will make you carry out your daily tasks without any obstruction or worries.
In Conclusion:
Conditions like tremors don’t always mean that you have a serious health condition—they are relatively common and can happen at any age. However, it’s always best to seek professional help to understand what’s happening inside your body and address it properly. If you experience hand shaking uncontrollably, consulting a healthcare specialist and exploring assistive solutions like the Steadi-3 glove can make a real difference.