My hands shake all the time, even when I'm resting. What could be the problem?

Question

I don't do drugs, smoke, or drink. I take multi-vitamins, vitamin B100, and iron pills. My diet is a little insufficient, but I eat foods rich in potassium.

Answer 1

If your diet is a little insufficient then it may be that you're shaking from low blood sugar but you should definitely go see your doctor to get a professional opinion.

Answer 2

It could be several different things. You may just want to use a strategy of elimination.

First of all, why do you take iron? Did a doctor tell you to? Are you iron deficient? If not, most people don't need an iron supplement. I know I wouldn't take iron unless my doctor said so.

One multivitamin per day is ok......but you put an "s" at the end that disturbs me. It is actually possible to take too many vitamins.

Vitamins are separated into 2 categories. Water soluable and fat soluable. The water soluable vitamins such as B and C are okay because if you get too much, you'll just have very expensive urine. For vitamins A-D-E-K, it is possible to get too much of these vitamins and you could end up with toxic high amounts........which could cause tremors.

Caffeine intake can also cause tremors. If you are used to having a LOT of intake, you may actually see an increase in tremors if you suddenly stop drinking caffeine because your body would suddenly go through withdrawal as caffeine IS a drug.....a stimulant.

Do you take cold medications often? Nasal decongestants are stimulants that can cause tremors if used on a daily basis.

Do you eat a lot of junk food with a lot of preservatives? IF so, try eating real food such as fruits and veggies and see if that improves.

Artificial sweeteners such as ones used in diet sodas can also cause tremors.

I could go on and on. We live in a chemical world and there is probably some chemical that you are ingesting on a regular basis that is causing these tremors.

If you reduce the vitamin load and try eliminating some of the substances I've mentioned and you still have tremors, you might want to get checked out by a doctor.

Good Luck
Robin_in_Tennessee

Answer 3

Common causes

Anxiety. We all become trembly if we are angry, stressed, anxious (‘shaking with nerves’) or very tired.

Low blood sugar causes shakiness because the nerves and muscles are deprived of fuel. The adrenaline system responds by kicking in, and this can make the shakiness worse for a while. The circumstances will make it obvious if this is what is happening in your case. A low blood sugar is most likely to occur if you eat a lot of sugary snack foods; these raise the blood sugar sharply, but then it plummets down again. The answer is to eat more slowly digested carbohydrates, such as porridge for breakfast instead of a sweet cereal and fruit instead of sweet puddings. Low blood sugar can also occur after excessive exercise.

Too much coffee and tea can make you a bit shaky, particularly in combination with a low blood sugar. So cut down the amount of coffee or strong tea that you drink, and avoid snack ‘meals’ that are mainly sweet foods and lots of coffee.


Less common causes

Parkinson’s disease is much less common than essential tremor. It does cause shaking of the hands but, unlike essential tremor, the shaking is worse when you are resting and not using the hand. The shaking in Parkinson’s disease is called ‘pill rolling’ because it is like rolling a small pill between your thumb and the side of your index finger.

Overactive thyroid is more common in women than in men, and occurs most commonly in the people in their 20s and 30s. If your thyroid is overactive, shakiness will not be the only symptom; for example, you usually lose weight even though you are eating well. Your doctor can do a blood test to check your thyroid hormone levels.

Normally, our hands shake very, very slightly all the time we are awake. This is because the tiny muscle fibres in our hands and arms constantly contract and relax at random. It is only when shakiness of our hands begins to interfere with writing, holding a cup of coffee or using a knife and fork that it becomes a problem. When people notice their hands are shaky, they often start to worry that they have Parkinson’s disease, but this is usually not the case.

If you are worried about shakiness, consult your doctor rather than try to work out the cause yourself. There are many varieties of shakiness that are difficult to describe, but doctors can recognize the common types easily from experience. Also, some simple tests, such as a blood test for thyroid overactivity, might be appropriate. Your doctor may use the word ‘tremor’ to describe shakiness that consists of small movements.

Answer 4

Tremor is an involuntary shaking movement that is repeated over and over. Although it may affect any part of the body, tremor most often affects the hands and head. Occasionally the feet or torso may also shake.

Essential tremor, which sometimes runs in families, is one of the most common types of tremor. It is shaking that is most noticeable when you are doing something like lifting a cup or pointing at an object. The shaking does not occur when you are not moving. Your head and voice may also shake. Medication can help reduce the shaking. Brain surgery can be helpful in some cases.

Tremors can also be caused by conditions or medications that affect the nervous system, including Parkinson's disease, liver failure, alcoholism, mercury or arsenic poisoning, lithium, and certain antidepressants.

If you notice a tremor, observe it carefully and note what seems to make it better or worse before calling your health professional. If a cause is discovered, the disease will be treated rather than the tremor.

Answer 5

That all depends on your age and lots of things. I am type two diabetic, and sometimes I shake when I'm not eating right.
That's good that you are looking at your diet first, before getting drugs from a doctor, but you should see a doctor right away, because you could be having a serious condition. If it gets worse or doesn't go away in a few hours that could be a very serious condition.

Answer 6

Parkinson's disease. Or, you could just be a nervous wreck. Don't consume anything with caffene in it, or sugar. Be careful what vitamins and minerals you take. Iron can be dangerous and so can B vitamins. Get your blood tested to find out what you REALLY need and stop with the selfdiagnosis. Get advice from your licensed medical physician, and not off the internet.

Answer 7

It could be different things and only a Doctor can give you an answer to this. You mentioned your diet is a little insufficient, some people with diabetes get shaky, when their sugar level drops. Get yourself checked.

Answer 8

You should consult a doctor. That doesn't seem normal. I've only known people to shake when they either had too much caffeine or sugar.

Answer 9

I wonder if you might need to lower the mg. on the B vitamin.

It could be high Thyroid or Parkinson's..........only a doctor could test and know.

Answer 10

parkinsons disease can come naturally at an old age regardless of food intake. Also, pushing small buttons constantly , like on a cellphone with a keyboard causes parkinsonsl