involuntary walking steps

[shalom613]

Hi.  I just found your forum today, while looking for info on movement disorders.  I do have ET (Essential Tremor), found mostly in my hands, and have had it for several years.  My original neurologist had said that time would tell if it was Parkinsons or ET --- and since it hasn't worsened, I'm grateful to know it is "only" ET!

Early this morning I felt the need to urinate, so I sat up in bed for a few seconds, then arose and started walking towards the bathroom (a short walk) as is usual.  However, this time something seemed to 'overtake my body' as I took about five steps forward, and then five or six steps to the left, before falling on the bedroom floor.  The steps I took sounded like marching steps, and woke my husband before I even fell.  It seemed very weird.

I've had a tendency to sometimes involuntarily walk to my left. often hitting woodwork or walls;  my neurologist said this was probably related to the ET.  This morning, however, was different, worse, and rather scary.

Can you think of an explanation and then a suggestion for this?  Thanks very much!

[Prohealth12]

Hello,
Just chanced upon this thread while looking for some information about 'brain-pushing-towards-one-side', which I have experienced twice in the last couple of months.
I would be sitting normal and suddenly my brain would start pushing my whole body towards left side, creating intense pressure against my left temple. The pressure is so severe that it feels like my head will explode. I would immediately stop what I was doing, drink water and relax.

Interestingly, both the times (when the problem occurred), I was on my smartphone, chatting, continuously for 6-7 hours.

Could it be related to that? Or am I trying to oversimplify things?

Also, is it a common problem? What is it called?

To help with the background, I am an otherwise healthy 32 years old professional.

It would really help if someone can shed more light on this.

Thanks

[shalom613]

Thanks so much for your response, Dr. Deshmukh; I really do appreciate your interest.

I seem to have the faster (higher?) incidence of tremors, at least while holding onto something lightweight.  But if, for instance, I am holding a fairly heavy book on my lap, the thumping up and down is slower and rhythmic.

I will watch out for what happened this morning, certainly.  Besides the not-too-frequent involuntarily suddenly walking to my left, I have had a periodic 'tripping motion' where my husband will kid me, asking if there's something in my way.  That happened within the past hour, so that's how I remembered to include it!

And no, Dr. Deshmukh, I haven't experienced a forward-stepping gait where I couldn't stop; just off to the left and the bizarre "marching steps forward, and then to the left side before falling.
                                             Be well,
                                                 Ima

[shalom613]

Interesting that you have experienced some of this as well.

No, I do not have any tingling nor any rigidity.  Thanks for responding.

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

There is a difference in the quality of the tremors of ET and Parkinson's disease. The essential tremors are finer, around 8 Hz (8/per sec) whereas the Parkinsonian tremors are around 4 Hz. Also, the Parkinsonian tremors resemble a "pill-rolling" action.

This one off incidence of overstepping (?) has to be watched for. In Parkinson's disease, as you may have already been told, there is a forward stepping gait, where you can not stop once you have started walking forwards. Do you feel you have such a problem ?

Regards

[Wondermum]

Sorry that i'm not going to be able to offer any explanation, but I wanted to let you know that I also get this weird and usually very sudden symptom ... It frightens the life out of me when it happens and usually occurs at least once a week when im out walking my dog.   I just very suddenly find myself staggering violently four or five steps to my left, but luckily so far have been able to stop myself falling over.  

Every time it happens I try to work out what caused it, whether it is a sudden severe weakness on my left leg or whether it is a balance problem, but I can never decide which one.  Maybe its neither.

I am also experiencing other symptoms such as prickling/itching all over my body, on my face, and would you believe, in my eyes .... a feeling of rigidity in my body which makes it difficult to walk, especially uphill, and a crashing tiredness which seems to come suddenly and which I could almost describe as passing out ... Do you get any of these??

Also, like yourself, and on a day to day basis, I have a tendency to involuntarily walk to my left.