Essential tremor

Essential tremor (ET) is a persistent and progressive condition. Only a small proportion of people with ET seek medical advice, but the proportion in different surveys varies from 0.5% to 11%.[16]Louis ED, Ottman R, Hauser WA. How common is the most common adult movement disorder? Estimates of the prevalence of essential tremor throughout the world. Mov Disord. 1998 Jan;13(1):5-10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9452318?tool=bestpractice.com Many people with ET are only mildly affected and do not seek medical treatment. However, most of the people who seek medical care are disabled to some extent, and are often socially handicapped by the tremor.[133]Auff E, Doppelbauer A, Fertl E. Essential tremor: functional disability vs. subjective impairment. J Neural Transm. 1991;33:105-10. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1753238?tool=bestpractice.com Approximately 25% of people receiving medical care for the tremor change jobs or retire because of an ET-induced disability.[23]Bain PG, Findley LJ, Thompson PD, et al. A study of hereditary essential tremor. Brain. 1994 Aug;117 (pt 4):805-24. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7922467?tool=bestpractice.com [134]Koller WC, Busenbark K, Miner K. The relationship of essential tremor to other movement disorders: report on 678 patients. Essential Tremor Study Group. Ann Neurol. 1994 Jun;35(6):717-23. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8210229?tool=bestpractice.com

There is no cure for ET, but there are treatments that give relief and improve quality of life. These include drug therapies and surgical procedures. Not every treatment works for every patient, and all treatments have some adverse effects; the choice of which effects can be tolerated depends on the individual.