Also known as benign and idiopathic tremor, essential tremor is a medical condition that causes the involuntary rhythmic contraction and relaxation of muscle groups. It results in twitching movements or oscillations in muscles of one or more body parts. It is usually symmetrical; if it happens on a body part on the left side, it typically also manifests on the right. This condition typically affects the hands, arms and fingers. It may also affect the vocal cords and muscles in the head.
Unfortunately, there is no known permanent cure for essential tremor. Once you have it, expect to have the condition with you for life. However, there are treatments available. Many of which can provide relief that improves the lives of sufferers significantly. These include medication and surgical treatment. There are also incisionless solutions, like Neuravive’s essential tremor treatment, that one can consider for those who don’t respond well to pharmaceutical solutions.
Risk factors for Tremors
Women are said to be more predisposed to having essential tremors in the head[GW1] [TP2] [TP3] . However, gender is not a significant factor in developing the condition in general. Those who have at least one of their parents who has this idiopathic tremor have a 50% likelihood of inheriting the condition. If both parents have it, their child will most likely develop the tremor. It is passed on genetically regardless of gender. The underlying genetic mutation is an autosomal dominant disorder, which means that it can be passed to an offspring even if only one of the parents has it.
Another risk factor is age. Essential tremor usually afflicts people who are forty years of age and older. People in their forties are prone to getting this condition generally characterized by the gradual appearance of shaking on one side of the body. It can be aggravated with movement, fatigue, intake of coffee and other caffeinated beverages and food, as well as exposure to extreme temperatures.
Complications
Women are as likely to have essential tremor as men do base on the same risk factors. Since in half the cases, it is attributed to a genetic mutation, there aren’t any known ways to avoid it.
Essential tremor may not be life-threatening, but they can affect the quality of life. The condition can make it difficult for women to put on makeup, eat normally, hold a glass or cup without spilling its contents; even writing can be difficult. Additionally, it has the potential to affect the voice box and tongue, resulting in speaking problems.
In Summary
Being a female does not make you more likely to develop essential tremors. In an estimated half of people, the condition is hereditary, passed on as a result of a genetic mutation. The best thing women can do is to find ways to deal with the problem as it appears. Fortunately, there are medications as well as surgical treatments that can help ease the problem. It’s not curable, but it can be tempered to reduce its impact on the life of the affected individual.