Shaky Hands
Answered by: Susan Eagles
Question from: Andy
Posted on: November 02, 2004

I am a 38 year old very healthy male. I am 6’2" and 250 lbs. I stopped eating meats, pork and chicken about 14 years ago but eat a lot of fish and sushi. Even though I am a somewhat overweight, I lead a healthy lifestyle. I do martial arts 2 to 3 times a week. I do not smoke however I do enjoy several drinks after a long hard week of work.

The problem that I have is that my hands shake a lot. Even when I am very relaxed my hands shake. When I am nervous or under stress like a public speech or a social gathering I am not even capable of holding a glass of wine due to my excessive shaking. It is very uncomfortable and it is of course very noticeable.

I am not a very good friend of pharmaceutical medicine. As a matter of fact, I don’t even take aspirin or anything that contains chemical. I usually try to use natural products or herbs.

Do you have any suggestions as to what to take that will help me stop my shakings?

You must visit a medical practitioner to determine the cause of your shaky hands. Anxiety and over-activity of the thyroid gland are possible causes. You should be referred to a neurologist to exclude the possibility of Parkinson’s or other neurological disease.

Heavy metal poisoning can cause damage to the nervous system resulting in a tremor.

Coffee and alcohol can aggravate tremor, and should be avoided.

If no cause is found, or if the cause is attributed to anxiety, you may benefit from relaxation exercises, or activities like yoga, tai chi or chi gung. These exercises work to tone the nervous system. Ask your doctor to recommend a physical therapist to train you on exercises that will improve the stability of the hands. Acupuncture often has good results with nervous system problems, but ensure that you choose an acupuncture therapist who is well trained and experienced.

Herbs that are helpful in strengthening the nervous system to stabilize the tremor are skullcap and oats. These can be taken as herbal teas or in tincture form. Oats can also be taken as porridge from the large flake, steel cut oats. Ask at your health food store for the best brand products.

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