Trembling hands are nothing unusual and in adolescence they are usually not a cause for concern. By definition, trembling hands are an uncontrolled, involuntary, but rhythmic hand movement that usually includes the forearms. The frequency with which the tremor occurs can vary from disease to disease.
Causes
The most common causes of trembling hands in adolescence differ considerably from the causes in older age. Typically, in adolescence it is a so-called essential tremor, as well as hyperthyroidism or drug or alcohol consumption that trigger the tremor. Most of these causes are reversible or easily treatable with medication.
Essential tremor is a form of tremor to which no cause can yet be attributed. It is believed to be a combination of different neural errors that cause tremor. Typical for essential tremor is that it affects not only the hands but also the head and causes a tremor of the vocal folds, which is expressed in a voice that varies in height.
Since the cause has not yet been determined, the therapy can only be symptomatic. Often so-called beta-blockers, which are otherwise used in hypertension patients, show a good effect. However, the disease shows an intrafamily accumulation, so that it can be assumed that the disease can be passed on.
A hand tremor can also be a sign of hyperthyroidism. In most cases, hyperthyroidism is a so-called autoimmune disease. The body directs parts of its immune system against the body’s own structures, can destroy them or in some cases strengthen them enormously.
This is the case with one form of thyroid disease, for example. The thyroid gland is subsequently stimulated to produce more thyroid hormones, which is why the hormone level rises above the physiological level. In addition to an increased pulse, a feeling of heat, trembling of the hands is also a symptom of hyperthyroidism.
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On the one hand, drug use can be noticeable with trembling hands due to its side effects, but on the other hand it can also be a sign of incipient “poisoning”. If the drugs have an effect on the dopaminergic system, which is a part of the nervous system affected by Parkinson’s disease, drug use can lead to side effects that are strongly reminiscent of Parkinson’s disease and are mostly characterised by trembling hands. Similar to alcohol, however, tremor can also be seen in connection with drug use as a result of drug withdrawal.
In addition to trembling, cold sweat and distracted thoughts also occur. Hand trembling in the context of alcohol consumption is usually a withdrawal symptom that occurs when a body accustomed to alcohol begins an alcohol withdrawal. In rare cases, trembling of the hands can also occur during alcohol poisoning.
In this case, hand trembling is usually not felt at rest, but rather with the arm stretched out. Since trembling is a typical withdrawal symptom, it can be reduced by medication, but not completely suppressed.
- In addition to the tremor, other symptoms such as cold sweat and high blood pressure also occur.
In addition, the persons are mostly agitated in their movements and seemingly absent with their thoughts.
Hypoglycemia (also called hypoglycemia) is a phenomenon that cannot actually occur in healthy people. The trembling of the hands is a first warning signal of the body that the sugar level in the blood is below the physiological limit. If the sugar level continues to fall, cold sweat, trembling all over the body, unconsciousness and in the worst case, death are the final consequences.
- A common cause is the excessive use of insulin, which is responsible for lowering the blood sugar level and transporting the sugar into the body cells. Due to its anabolic effect, insulin is no longer used only by diabetics but also by strength athletes.
- Inflammation of the pancreas would be another possibility to suffer an unusually high insulin output, which then leads to hypoglycaemia.
Under stress, the so-called physiological tremor can often be intensified.The physiological tremor is always present and basically ensures that movements do not have to be started from the complete resting position. A certain slight tremor is therefore normal with every outstretched arm or hand.
In stressful situations, the activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of stress hormones leads to an increase in tremor. This ensures that the stress-related tremor reaches an amplitude that is visible to the human eye. If the tremor does not subside after the stress has subsided, you should consult a doctor or, if necessary, a psychologist.