![]() Often when the underlying diagnosis is Parkinson disease there will be more subtle findings that your neurologist will pick up on the clinical examination. However, there are patients who will have features of both an essential tremor and also that of a Parkinson tremor and this can make the diagnosis more challenging. In general, distinguishing between a tremor that is due to Parkinson disease and one that is due to an essential tremor is straightforward. It usually involves both arms but it can also involve the head, voice, chin, trunk and legs. So patients will often complain that the tremor is most bothersome when they go to use the hand such as to pick up a cup of tea or write. This simply means the tremor comes on with action. Autopsy studies do show a lower amount of dopamine loss in these patients than in those with typical Parkinson disease.Įssential Tremor - This is the most common neurologic cause of an “action” tremor. If tremor remains your predominant symptom over about 8 years it is considered that you have a more benign form of the disease. It is a diagnosis that becomes apparent over time. It tends to follow a benign course and patients do not tend to develop all the other features of typical Parkinson disease. It tends not to be particularly responsive to the dopamine medications. There are usually some mild subtle features of typical Parkinson disease at diagnosis. It typically presents with a tremor that is present at rest with occasionally also being present on action. It has been shown to have a much more benign disease course. It is not known with certainty if it is a distinct disease or on the spectrum of idiopathic Parkinson disease. Benign Tremulous Parkinsonism - This is a relatively newly described entity.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |