Resting Pinky Tremor from stress?

[DIR123]

Hi,
Thank you so much for allowing to ask this question.  I don't have insurance so this is my only opportunity to get an opinion.

I am 36 and just experienced a traumatic death of my only parent.  I spent one month 1,000 miles away from home to care for her after we were told she was terminal.  It was very stressful and coming home to my life which suffered from my absence has been very stressful as well.  I am grieving but I realize I'm pushing away a lot of the processing of what I just experienced in order to function in my life right now.  There are also a couple other stressors that appeared at about the same time (loss of my closest friend, spouse traveling for work for long periods) so I have been really battling to keep my life somewhat steady right now.

Since one week after I returned home, at a point when the stress was at its highest, my left (non dominant) pinky started to twitch/tremor at rest.  It happens for 2-4 seconds at a time, a left to right movement, and it occurs several times an hour.  It does not occur with action and will stop if I actively move my pinky or hand.  I am very frightened that it's a sign of Parkinson's and would like to know if there could be other causes that are not Parkinsons related, namely stress or anxiety.  The occurrence of the twitching/tremors and the severity of the movement have lessened the more I relax but do not completely disappear even with total relaxation.  My pinky and the area of my palm underneath my pinky does feel sort of cramped as weIl.  

I have no other symptoms of Parkinson's at all, have never before had a similar symptom, and am otherwise healthy.  Since this symptom appeared about 3 weeks ago, I haven't been able to think of much else or deal with anything else because once I have a small tremor I'm back to being completely consumed with the worry about it.  

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

I am sorry to hear about your loss. Twitches in the majority of cases are benign meaning they have no consequence and do not cause serious damage or are resulting from serious damage. The twitches can occur focally (one location) or generalized (many locations). Twitches can be related to anxiety/stress, caffeine, and often occur post exercise or muscular over-use. Another type of twitching, which is normal, is called a hypnic jerk. It occurs as we are falling asleep. Again it is exacerbated by stress or caffeine. For these symptoms, the best treatment is to reduce the caffeine intake and/or reduce the stress. If the twitches are bothersome or disabling, medical treatment may be necessary. This will need to be at the discretion of your physician.

I would recommend that you cut back your caffeine (sodas, coffee, tea, power/energy drinks, etc) and get adequate sleep. If possible, you will also need to reduce your stress. If the twitches continue and are bothersome, you may need to see your PCP for further management and workup. If additional symptoms occur, such as hard time swallowing, talking, or breathing, you will need to be seen asap, but these are in rare cases and are associated with other disorders, which does not sound like based on your description.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.

[sleaman]

A related discussion, pinky tremor was started.