Tremor causes

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Naresh Mullaguri, M.B.B.S. [2]

Overview

Tremor is generally caused by problems in parts of the brain or spinal cord that control muscles throughout the body or in particular areas, such as the hands. Neurological disorders or conditions that can produce tremor include multiple sclerosis, stroke, traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases that damage or destroy parts of the brainstem or the cerebellum. Other causes include the use of some drugs (such as amphetamines, caffeine, corticosteroids, and drugs used for certain psychiatric disorders), alcohol abuse or withdrawal, mercury poisoning, overactive thyroid or liver failure. Tremors can be an indication of hypoglycemia, along with palpitations, sweating and anxiety. Tremor can also be caused from lack of sleep, vitamins, or having too much stress. Deficiencies of magnesium and vitamin B1 have also been known to cause tremor or shaking which resolves when the deficiency is corrected. See magnesium in biology. Some forms of tremor are inherited and run in families, while others have no known cause. Tremors can also be caused by some spider bites i.e. the redback spider of Australia.

Tremor can result from other conditions as well. Alcoholism, excessive alcohol consumption, or alcohol withdrawal can kill certain nerve cells, resulting a tremor known as asterixis. Conversely, small amounts of alcohol may help to decrease familial and essential tremor, but the mechanism behind this is unknown. Tremor in peripheral neuropathy may occur when the nerves that supply the body’s muscles are traumatized by injury, disease, abnormality in the central nervous system, or as the result of systemic illnesses. Peripheral neuropathy can affect the whole body or certain areas, such as the hands, and may be progressive. Resulting sensory loss may be seen as a tremor or ataxia (inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movement) of the affected limbs and problems with gait and balance. Clinical characteristics may be similar to those seen in patients with essential tremor.

Causes

Common Causes

• Essential tremor

• Hyperthyroidism

• Alcoholism

• Parkinson's disease

• As a drug side effect of salbutamol, haloperidol, lidocaine and lithium toxicity

• Tremor from neurological disorders like cerebrovascular accident, multiple sclerosis, peripheral neuropathy, pick's disease, alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia and cerebellar diseases

• Senile tremor

• Diseases affecting extra-pyramidal nuclei of the brain like wilson's disease, huntington's disease

• Organophosphorous poisoning

• Mercury, lead, arsenic and nicotine poisoning

• Anxiety
• Caffeine and stimulant drug abuse

Causes by Organ System

Cardiovascular	No underlying causes
Chemical / poisoning	2,4-Dichlorophenol, 3-Aminopyridine, 4-Aminopyridine, Acetylene Dichloride, Acidic dry cell batteries, Acrylamide, Agrocide, Agronexit, Alcohol, Amidithion,Amiton, Aparasin, Aphtiria, Arsenic poisoning, Athyl-gusathion, Azinfos-methyl, Azinfosethyl, Azinophos-methyl, Azinphos, Azinphos-ethyl,Azinphos-methyl, Azinphosmetile, Azothoate, Benhexol, Benoxafos, Bexol, Biphenyl, Bromide, Bromoform, Bromophos, Bromophos-ethyl, Cadusafos, Caffeine poisoning, Carbinoxamine, Carbon disulfide, Carbon tetrachloride, Carbophenothion, Chlordane, Chlordecone, Chloresene, Chlorfenvinphos, Chloromethane, Chloropyrifos, Chlorpyrifos methyl, Cresols, Cresylic acid, Cyanthoate,Phenothrin, DDD, DDT, Demeton, Demeton-methyl, Demeton-O, Demeton-O-methyl, Demeton-S-methyl, Demeton-S-methylsulphon, Dialifos, Diazinon, Diborane, Dichlorvos, Dimethoate, Dioxathion, Diquat dibromide, DisulfiramDisulfoton, Endosulfan, Endothion, Epichlorohydrin, Ethion, Ethoate-methyl, Ethoprophos, Ethyl mercaptan, Ethyl-guthion, Ethylbenzene, Ethylene Dichloride, Etrimfos, Fenchlorphos, Fenitrothion, Fensulfothion, Fenthion, Fipronil, Fluoridated toothpaste, Fonophos, Food additives - MSG, salicylate, sulfite, Formothion, Gasoline, Glaze, Glufosinate, Glycol ether, Guthion (ethyl), Heptachlor, Heptenophos, Iodofenphos, Lead, Lindane, Lobelia poisoning, Malathion, Manganese, Mecarbam, Metaldehyde, Methacrifos, Methamidophos, Methidathion, Methylene chloride, Metiltriazotion, Mevinphos, Mercury poisoning, Mescal poisoning, Minamata disease, Monocrotophos, Monosodium methanarsenate, Nicotine poisoning, Organophosphate insecticide poisoning, Omethoate, Oxydeprofos, Oxydisulfoton, Parathion, Parathion Methyl, Phenkapton, Phenol, Phorate, Phosalone, Phosmet, Phosphamidon, Phosphine, Phoxim, Pirimiphos-methyl, Primiphos methyl, Prothidathion, Prothoate, Pyrethrin, Pyrimitate, Quinalphos, Quintiofos, RDX, Rotenone, Selenium poisoning, Sea Hare poisoning, Sophamide, Sulfotep, Sulfuryl Fluoride, Terbufos, Tetrachloroethane, Thallium, Thallium Sulfate, Thiometon, Tolclofos methyl, Toxaphene, Triazophos, Triazotion, Trichloroethylene, Trifenfos, Tubatoxin poisoning, Vamidothion, Wilson's disease
Dermatologic	No underlying causes
Drug Side Effect	Amiodarone, Amphetamine, Disulfiram , Dobutamine, Dopamine, Dopexamine, Ephedrine, Epinephrine, Glipizide, Haloperidol, Margosa oil, Black Cohosh, Peppermint oil, Sabah vegetable, Isoprenaline, Lidocaine, Norepinephrine, Phenylephrine, Rizatriptan, Reproterol, Salbutamol, Tacrolimus, Trifluperidol, Valproic acid, Venlafaxine Xamoterol
Ear Nose Throat	No underlying causes
Endocrine	Adrenal adenoma, Adrenal cancer, Adrenal incidentaloma, Adrenal tumor, Diabetes insipidus, Diabetes mellitus, High T4 syndrome, Hyperadrenalism, Hyperthyroidism, Toxic multinodular goiter, Pheochromocytoma, Pituitary tumors
Environmental	Minamata disease
Gastroenterologic	Cirrhosis of liver
Genetic	Chromosome 20p, partial duplication, Friedreich ataxia, Huntington's Disease, Mental retardation X-linked Cabezas type
Hematologic	Chediak-Higashi syndrome
Iatrogenic	Neuroleptic malignant syndrome, Serotonin Syndrome, Ureterosigmoidostomy
Infectious Disease	Central Nervous system protozoal infections like Toxoplasmosis, Sleeping sickness (East african), Sleeping sickness (West african), Meningoencephalitis, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease , Krabbe leukodystrophy, Neurosyphilis, Ramsay Hunt syndrome
Musculoskeletal / Ortho	Amish nemaline myopathy
Neurologic	Alcoholic cerebellar degeneration, Alcoholic intoxication, Alzheimer's disease, Amyloidosis, oculoleptomeningeal , Aniridia cerebellar ataxia mental deficiency, Anxiety, Basal ganglia calcification, Benign essential tremor, Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, Brain Fag syndrome, Central nervous system protozoal infections, Cerebellar degeneration, Cerebellar disease, Cerebrovascular accident, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Dementia With Lewy Bodies, Diencephalic syndrome, Drug-induced parkinsonism, Dystonia 1, torsion, autosomal dominant, Dystonia musculorum deformans, Dystonia, Essential tremor, Fatal familial insomnia, Friedreich ataxia, Frontotemporal dementia, Huntington's Disease, Idiopathic dystonia DYT1, Parkinson's disease, Krabbe leukodystrophy, Leukoencephalopathy -- metaphyseal chondrodysplasia, Meningoencephalitis, Mental retardation, X-linked, Cabezas type, Metabolic encephalopathy, Metachromatic leukodystrophy, Multiple sclerosis, Multiple system atrophy, Myoclonic epilepsy benign, Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease, Neurosyphilis, Normokalemic periodic paralysis, Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy, Oppenheim's dystonia, Pallidopyramidal syndrome, Parkinsonism, Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, Pick's disease of the brain, Spastic paraparesis deafness, Spinocerebellar ataxia
Nutritional / Metabolic	Arginase deficiency, Fucosidosis, Ceroid lipofuscinosis, Holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency, Methylmalonic acidemia with homocystinuria, Motor and cognitive disorder due to sepiapterin reductase deficiency, Mucolipidosis, Purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency, Sialidosis, Uraemia, Vitamin B1 deficiency
Obstetric/Gynecologic	No underlying causes
Oncologic	Adrenal adenoma, Pituitary tumors, Pheochromocytoma, Adrenal incidentaloma
Opthalmologic	Optic atrophy
Overdose / Toxicity	Dexedrine, Methamphetamine, Lithium toxicity
Psychiatric	Hysteria, Anxiety, Psychogenic movement disorders
Pulmonary	Respiratory failure
Renal / Electrolyte	Hypoglycemia, Hypomagnesemia, Normokalemic periodic paralysis
Rheum / Immune / Allergy	No underlying causes
Sexual	No underlying causes
Trauma	No underlying causes
Urologic	No underlying causes
Dental	No underlying causes
Miscellaneous	Shy-Drager syndrome, Senile, Roussy-Levy syndrome, Salvioli syndrome, Wolfram syndrome, Primary orthostatic tremor, Physiologic tremor, Lindsay-Burn syndrome, Lhermitte-McAlpine syndrome, Kennedy's disease, Hypothermia, Da Costa's syndrome, Combarros Calleja Leno syndrome, Cockayne syndrome

Causes in Alphabetical Order

2,4-Dichlorophenol 3-Aminopyridine 4-Aminopyridine Acetylene dichloride Acidic dry cell batteries inhalation poisoning Acrylamide xylene Adrenal adenoma,familial Adrenal cancer Adrenal incidentaloma Adrenal tumor Agrocide Agronexit Alcohol withdrawal syndrome Alcohol Alcoholic cerebellar degeneration Alcohol intoxication Alcohol-induced disorders Alzheimer's disease Amidithion Amiodarone Amish nemaline myopathy Amiton Amphetamine abuse Amyloidosis, oculoleptomeningeal Aniridia cerebellar ataxia mental deficiency Anxiety Aparasin Aphtiria Arginase deficiency Arsenic poisoning Athyl-Gusathion Azinfosethyl Azinfos-methyl Azinophos-methyl Azinphos Azinphos-ethyl Azinphos-methyl Azinphosmetile Azothoate Basal ganglia calcification, idiopathic 1 Ben-Hex Benhexol Benign essential tremor syndrome Benign essential tremor Benoxafos Bexol Biphenyl Black Cohosh overdose Bovine spongiform encephalopathy Brain Fag syndrome Bromide Bromoform Bromophos Bromophos-ethyl Cadusafos Caffeine overdose Carbamate insecticide poisoning Carbinoxamine Carbon disulfide Carbon tetrachloride Carbophenothion Central nervous system protozoal infections Cerebellar degeneration Cerebellar disease Cerebrovascular accident Ceroid lipofuscinosis, neuronal 6, late infantile Chediak-Higashi disease Chlordane Chlordecone Chloresene Chlorfenvinphos Chloromethane Chloropyrifos Chlorpyrifos methyl

Chromosome 20p, partial duplication Cirrhosis of liver Cockayne syndrome Combarros Calleja Leno syndrome Cresols Cresylic acid Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Cyanthoate Cyclosporin Da Costa's syndrome DDD DDT Dementia With Lewy Bodies Demeton Demeton-methyl Demeton-O Demeton-O-methyl Demeton-S-methyl Demeton-S-methylsulphon Dexedrine overdose Diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus,optic atrophy Dialifos Diazinon Diborane Dichlorvos Diencephalic syndrome Dimethoate Dioxathion Diquat dibromide Discontinuation syndrome Disulfiram Disulfoton Dobutamine Dopamine Dopexamine d-Phenothrin Drug withdrawal Drug-induced parkinsonism Drug-induced tremor Dystonia musculorum deformans 1 Dystonia Efavirenz Endosulfan Endothion Ephedrine Epichlorohydrin Epinephrine Essential tremor Ethion Ethoate-methyl Ethoprophos Ethyl mercaptan Ethylbenzene Ethylene dichloride Ethyl-guthion Etrimfos Fatal familial insomnia Fenchlorphos Fenitrothion Fensulfothion Fenthion Fipronil Fluoridated toothpaste Fonophos Food additive adverse reaction- MSG, Salicylate, Sulfite Formothion Friedreich ataxia Frontotemporal dementia Fucosidosis Gasoline Glaze Glufosinate Glycol ether Guthion (ethyl) Haloperidol

Hepatic failure Heptachlor Heptenophos High T4 syndrome Holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency Huntington's disease Hyperadrenalism Hyperthyroidism Hypoglycaemia Hypomagnesemia Hypothermia Hysteria Idiopathic dystonia DYT1 Iodofenphos Isoprenaline Kennedy's disease Krabbe leukodystrophy Lead Leukoencephalopathy -- metaphyseal chondrodysplasia Lhermitte-McAlpine syndrome Lidocaine Lindane Lindsay-Burn syndrome Lithium toxicity Liver failure Lobelia poisoning Malathion Manganese Margosa oil overdose Mecarbam Meningoencephalitis Mental retardation, X-linked, Cabezas type Mercury poisoning Mercury Mescal poisoning Metabolic encephalopathy Metachromatic leukodystrophy Metaldehyde Metaraminol Methacrifos Methamidophos Methamphetamine overdose Methidathion Methoxamine Methylene chloride Methylmalonic acidemia with homocystinuria Metiltriazotion Mevinphos Minamata disease Monocrotophos Monosodium methanarsenate Motor and cognitive disorder due to sepiapterin reductase deficiency Mucolipidosis type 1 Multiple sclerosis Multiple system atrophy Myoclonic epilepsy benign, adult, familial Neuroleptic malignant syndrome Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease Neurosyphilis Nicotine poisoning Norepinephrine Normokalemic periodic paralysis Olivopontocerebellar atrophy Omethoate Oppenheim's dystonia Optic atrophy Organophosphate insecticide poisoning Oxydeprofos Oxydisulfoton Pallidopyramidal syndrome Parathion Parathion methyl Parkinson's disease

Parkinsonism Pathologic tremor Pelizaeus-Merzbacher Disease Peppermint oil overdose Phenkapton Phenol Phenylephrine Pheochromocytoma Phorate Phosalone Phosmet Phosphamidon Phosphine Phoxim Physiologic tremor Pick's disease of the brain Pirimiphos-methyl Pituitary tumor, adult Primary orthostatic tremor Primiphos methyl Prothidathion Prothoate Psychogenic movement disorders Purine nucleoside phosphorylase deficiency Pyrethrin Pyrimitate Quinalphos Quintiofos Ramsay Hunt syndrome RDX Reproterol Respiratory failure Rotenone Roussy-Levy syndrome Sabah vegetable overdose Salbutamol Salvioli syndrome Sea Hare poisoning Selenium poisoning Senile Serotonin syndrome Shy-Drager syndrome Sialidosis Sleeping sickness (East African) Sleeping sickness (West African) Sophamide Spastic paraparesis deafness Spinocerebellar ataxia Sulfotep Sulfuryl fluoride Tacrolimus Terbufos Tetrachloroethane Thallium Thallium sulfate Thiometon Tolclofos methyl Toxaphene Toxic multinodular goiter Toxoplasmosis Triazophos Triazotion Trichloroethylene Trifenfos Trifluperidol Tubatoxin poisoning Uraemia Ureterosigmoidostomy Valproic acid Vamidothion Vitamin B1 deficiency Wilson's disease Wolfram syndrome Xamoterol