Parkinson's Disease Guide 

Parkinson's Disease / Slideshows

Reasons Your Hands Are

Shaking
Medically Reviewed by Jabeen Begum, MD on
August 28, 2023 Written by Danny Bonvissuto

1/15

Essential Tremor
This nerve disorder is the most common
reason your coffee cup won't stay still
while you hold it. It kicks in while your
hands are doing something, but goes
away when they're not. There's no clear
cause, but it's sometimes traced to a
change in a gene. If your symptoms are
mild, you may not need treatment. If they
get in the way of everyday tasks or your
job, you may need medicine, occupational
therapy, or surgery.

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2/15

Parkinson's Disease
When you have this condition, your hand
shakes because brain cells that tell your
muscles to move get damaged. The
shaking usually starts on one hand, but
over time may spread to the other. You
may also move more slowly, have trouble
with balance, or find that your arms and
legs stiffen up. The main treatment for
Parkinson's tremors is medication and
sometimes surgery for better muscle
control.

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3/15

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

This condition damages a coating on your
nerves called myelin. When this happens,
you may get symptoms that include
shaking in your hands or other parts of
your body. Medicine is the most common
way to treat it. A physical or occupational
therapist can help you learn ways to
manage your symptoms.

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4/15

Overactive Thyroid
(Hyperthyroidism)
Have you had your thyroid hormone levels
checked lately? Shaky hands may be a
sign of hyperthyroidism. This means your
thyroid gland is working too hard and
kicking your heart rate into high gear. You
may also notice that you lose weight
without trying, are sensitive to light, get a
fast heartbeat, and have trouble sleeping.
A simple blood test will help you and your
doctor figure out what's going on.

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5/15

Too Much Caffeine

Can't do without your morning coffee?
Have a cup or two, then cut yourself off.
Caffeine is a stimulant, so the same
natural chemical that helps you wake up
will also make your hands shake if you
have too much. Coffee isn't the only
culprit. You can also find caffeine in over-
the-counter headache medicine,
chocolate, and some sodas.

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1 Medications for Parkinson's

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3 What Parkinson's Disease

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6/15

Alcohol Withdrawal
If you have an addiction to alcohol, you
could get symptoms that include shaky
hands when you quit. It starts as soon as
10 hours after your last drink and can last
a few weeks. Some detox programs use
medication to help you manage
withdrawal symptoms.

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7/15

Lack of Sleep
You can't expect a car to run if you don't
give it gas. And you can't expect your
brain to send messages to all the right
places without sleep. When you don't get
enough shut-eye, it can cause your brain
to mistakenly tell your hands to tremble.
Luckily, you can snooze your way back to
steady hands.

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8/15

Low Blood Sugar

Your nerves and muscles are powered by
blood sugar. When they don't get enough,
they tell your hands to shake. Low blood
sugar can be caused by diabetes, certain
medications, too much alcohol, or not
enough food. A doctor can help you
narrow down what's happening and why.

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9/15

Stress
When something stresses you out, like
giving a speech or watching a scary
movie, your nerves kick into overdrive.
Your hands shake and your heart beats
fast. The shakiness will go away when the
stress does. Try stress relief techniques
like deep breathing or meditation.

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10/15

Certain Medications
Twitchy hands are a common side effect of
many different types of prescription
drugs. Among the most common are
medicines for your mood, seizures,
migraine, neuropathy, and asthma. Some
antihistamines cause this problem, too.

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11/15

Smoking
Though some people do it because they
hope it will ease stress, smoking can
cause anxiety. Nicotine, the addictive drug
in tobacco, gets into your bloodstream
and makes your heart beat faster. This
can make you feel anxious and cause your
hands to shake. Talk to your doctor to get
ideas on how to quit tobacco.

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12/15

Lack of Vitamin B12

B12 plays big role in keeping your nervous
system healthy. If you don't eat meat or
eggs, don’t drink milk, or if you take
certain medications, you might have
lower-than-normal levels of this vitamin.
This can cause your hands to shake or
make your arms and legs feel numb and
tingly. Your doctor can tell you if you need
to take supplements.

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13/15

Pheochromocytoma
This is a long word for a rare tumor that
grows in your adrenal gland. Though the
tumor is usually benign, it makes your
blood pressure go way up. It could make
you shake as well as cause heavy
sweating, shortness of breath, and
headache. The tumor can also lead to
heart disease and stroke, so it's best to
remove it with surgery.

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14/15

Liver Disorders
Shaking is a symptom of a few liver
disorders, like Wilson's disease. In this
genetic condition, a buildup of copper in
your body damages your liver and brain.
You'll also feel tired and get jaundice -- a
yellow tint to your eyes and skin. Doctors
treat Wilson's disease with medication and
diet changes.

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15/15

Brain Disorders
If you've had a stroke or a traumatic brain
injury, the muscles in your hands may
have a mind of their own. Ask your doctor
about medication or occupational therapy
to manage shakiness. And steer clear of
caffeine, nicotine,ADVERTISEMENT
or anything else that
makes the symptoms worse.