essential tremor

[medmed]

I have just been to the specialist who said he thinks I have essential tremor.  I thought at first it might be related to my thryoid medication but it seems not.  In this forum I see that essential tremor is benign and not related to other cognitive difficulties however, I understand that not much research has been done and the little research there is suggests that essential tremor may be related to dementia. Does anyone out there no anything about this Thank

[medmed]

  Could you expand on the "family of diseases" part of your commentary.  What other symptoms tend to be in the "family".  Thank for your informative comments.

[TremorAction]

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There is not as much sufficient research as other movement disorders, but we wouldn't classify it as little research. There is current discussion that cognitive impairment "may" (weak verb) be associated with essential tremor, but this is based on a study of an elderly population in Spain.

Essential tremor is a Catch-22 movement disorder because the progression and response to off-label medications (no FDA approved drugs at this time) varies with each individual. The word benign is no longer used because ET findings suggest more than just a tremor symptom. One researcher believes ET is a "family of diseases."

[tambo247]

essential tremor runs in my family on my mothers side of the women. we have the head tremors. it can be in your hands or in the head movement. i have cervical dystonia and was diganosed at one time with essential tremor, but my is painful and essential tremor is not. i have been on thyroid medication for 10 years now due to having thyroid removed many years ago due to thyroid cancer. i can tell you that is doesnt make you have tremors. try to find a muscle disorder doctor that can give you motor skill tests and they can determine on what you have. i havent heard of essential tremors being related to dementia.  my mom takes medication for her head tremors. it is can propranol. talk with your doctor and find out if that will help you. dont be discourged.
good luck and God bless