Tremors…Not Just For B-rated Movies

The tremors in my legs started a few months ago, and at first it was just a one-off kind of thing, meaning it didn’t happen very often (or enough to report it to my wife).

As most things do, it became more frequent. It happens quite often now, usually when I am sitting down. I would say that 95% of the time it happens when I am sitting down, usually during the evening when I am relaxing with the family, just hanging out. It has also happened quite a few times when I am standing in the same place for a moment (I guess my body just doesn’t want me to queue). A lot less rare, but more violent, is when I am lying down in bed, usually really tired and ready to go to sleep. My wife has reported that for the most part I am calm during the night, but of course there have been nights when I am restless and things are not going to well with my body.

Tremors (MS or other types I’m assuming) are not fun, but I can live with them. I have worse symptoms (that come and go and/or stay), but more importantly I’m not going to die from a tremor.

Worst case scenario: I am relaxing on the couch, have a violent tremor, which causes my leg to kick the coffee table. Kicking of the table causes my glass to spill, pouring my drink over the extension cord that I have my phone charger plugged into. Liquid and electricity have a baby named fire, and fire burns my house down. I die in the fire (worst case scenario remember) but no matter how you spin it, the tremor didn’t kill me; I died by smoke inhalation and/or being burned up. POINT MADE BY ME…tremors don’t kill unless they happen in a movie…

 

 

… my cheesy promotion of a Kevin Bacon flick.

Tremors suck, but here is more information about them from the professionals:

Many people with MS experience some degree of tremor, or uncontrollable shaking. It can occur in various parts of the body. There are several types of tremor:

• Intention tremor — generally is greatest during physical movement; there is no shaking when a person is at rest. The tremor develops and becomes more pronounced as the person tries to grasp or reach for something, or move a hand or foot to a precise spot. This is the most common and generally most disabling form of tremor that occurs in people with MS.
• Postural tremor — generally is greatest when a limb or the whole body is being supported against gravity. For example, a person who has a postural tremor will shake while sitting or standing, but not while lying down.
• Resting tremor — generally is greatest when the body part is at rest and is diminished with movement. More typical of Parkinson's disease than MS.
• Nystagmus — produces jumpy eye movements.

Tremor occurs because there are plaques — damaged areas — along the complex nerve pathways that are responsible for coordination of movements. People with MS who have tremors may also have associated symptoms such as difficulty in speaking (dysarthria) or difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia) — activities that are governed by many of the same pathways involved in coordinating movement.

Tremor can have significant emotional and social impact, especially when people choose to keep to themselves rather than be embarrassed by tremor. Isolation can lead to depression and further psychological problems. A psychologist, social worker, or counselor may be able to help a person with MS deal with these issues and become more comfortable in public.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms-Diagnosis/MS-Symptoms/Tremor