WARNING: The Embarrassing Bodies website contains images of an explicit medical nature and nudity in a medical context.

Conditions

Benign Essential Tremor

Benign Essential Tremor

Benign essential tremor sends your hands to jelly. Tremor quite simply causes your hands to shake – considerably and constantly, thus shattering any aspirations of a career in brain surgery. Whilst it might not sound that serious if the condition deteriorates those afflicted may find it increasingly problematic to carry out the simplest of tasks such as writing, using cutlery, and – let’s not shy away from it – wiping their bum. Benign Essential Tremor has a habit of flaring up and becoming worse when a person is stressed, tired, angry, anxious, hot or cold. A high level of adrenaline in the body can also heighten the shaking as can caffeine and some prescribed medicines. It isn’t just the hands that can be affected; infrequently the voice, face and upper body have known to suffer too though there is some release as tremor usually fades when resting or moving. If the tremor is so bad that it’s affecting your day-to-day life then there are a few things that can ease the symptoms. Beta blockers, anti-convulsants or even a deep brain simulator have all proven affective in a high percentage of cases and (whilst it should in no way be relied upon) one or two units of alcohol have been shown to temporarily relieve the tremor completely, which can be particularly helpful before you give that important speech, or go out on that big date.

Comments and Questions

You can share your experiences and thoughts with other Embarrassing Bodies site-users below. Comments & Questions are reviewed by moderators, but if you see anything on the site that worries you, please report it and one of our moderators will look at it as soon as possible.
Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.

I have has shaken hands , twitches in my face especially my nose and lip and my voice goes all funny. It tends to happen when I have to do a presentation or when I'm excitted ( as this is when the adrenaline starts pumping) I feel that at least I can see , talk and walk, and they are the main things. So, just try to forget about it.... All we need is love!!!





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I've just started to experience shakey hands and a kind of strange twitching movement of my tongue over the past month-months and half. My arms can feel a bit weak and difficult to lift- which feels connected to the hand tremor. I hope it doesn't get worse because I love drawing! Is the tongue thing the same problem? It came on or at least I noticed it around the same time as hand tremor.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I've only developed a tremor in the last couple of years. It started when my hairdresser asked me to sit very still so she could cut my fringe. All of a sudden my shoulders tensed, my heart was racing and my head started to shake from side to side in a no-no fashion. I've now not had a haircut for over a year and I can't bear the thought of an eye-test even though I need one. The only thing that calms me down is shutting my eyes - you can't do that at the opticians! Doc prescribed beta blockers, but I'm asthmatic and convinced myself I would die if I took them so I'm a hypocondriac as well now! Very embarrassing, even just thinking about it makes me shake.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I'm 13 and my hands shake alot they are worse when i get angry or sad. i'm really embarrsed about it i try to hid it but some people have started to notice and make fun of me. My mum thinks i have BET butt i dont want to go to the dr but i'm scared they will think i'm wierd am i?





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your answer.


Please don't swear or be rude in your answers, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting answers. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

Questions submitted to the site will be answered by other site users, not by medical professionals, so if you have a medical concern, please book an appointment with your GP.

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

Im 13 as well and its getting much worse for me, i only realised i started shaking when i was probably in year 4 yet it was veryy minor now its getting a lot worse even without realising and people also make fun of me, who arent very nice. I went to a doctor in year 6 and they sent me to a specialist. They told me to come back if it got worse, so i hope to be returning soon. But i doubt they will do much :(.

I feel really sorry for you, I had exactly the same experience. I didn't go to the doctors because for me it's an inherited condition so I thought there was nothing I could do about it. In 1999 when I was 42 I got bacterial meningitis which struck the tremors off big time. I am now at the stage of a 70 year old, although I'm only 53. My advice is to try and pluck up the courage to go see your doctor with your mum or dad, they should understand where you are coming from and if they are a good doctor they will help, then if there is a problem they will be able to do something about it before you get much older, the less embarrassing it is then because you don't spill your drink everywhere or fall over for nothing unlike me :)

Hi I'm 38 and had these sort of symptoms for as long as I can remember, I've never been to the doc's but I do also suffer from Raynaud's phenomenum. I get annoyed at the comments, I had to ask a colleague to carry a tray of drinks for me in a meeting as I was having a particularly bad episode and she responded by saying "ooh do we make you nervous?" And as a fairly new member of the team I found this very embarrasing. Quite surprised that alcohol is recommended as an option on here don't think I'll be trying that on a work day!! Don't fancy being on medication for the rest of my life so I guess it's just something I'll have to put up with.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

Ive had tremors for as long as i can remember im 25 and work in a pub everyone jokes that im an alcholic. my dad and brother suffer from this and im on propanonol and have been since april last year i have not seen the consltant since and my doctor dos not seemed interested. i feel ive just been put on these pills and left.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I have suffered with a tremor since i was 15. I have been on propanonol ever since, now 32 and just recently had the dose increased 160mg. I have the same problem with my Doctor not being very sympathetic. Fustrating at times, i.e trying to pick a glass up at the bar, or carrying a cup of coffee, my hand will suddenly shake uncontrollably.

evertime im out or just sitting at home or in someones house, basically everywhere, i always shake, no matter the weather i just shake all the time really!! its really annoying





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

im 26 ive suffered with hand tremors as long as i can remember up untill recently nobody cud tell me what it was it effects day to day things doctors told me it was child hood tremors then down to my weight before persisting got me to a neurologist who says its likely to be a benign essential tremor i found alcohol helped it totaly disapear bk going bk to see neurologist in June hope things are sorted then. if u are not happy with what your GP says do persist to see a specialist its your right





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I am 40 and have suffered from BET since the age of 14. Inherited from my family I have always felt angry and ashamed and have never been able to talk about it, maybe by talking about it will mean acceptance. When I was younger I used to drink before going out which led to its own problems. I have been on propranolol for a long time and now take other medication for anxiety and depression which I believe has followed from this condition.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

I've had BET since I started school (have many early memories of being teased). I was very ashamed of it for many years until I was about your age (am 42 now) and just came to terms with it somehow. I think it helps that I tell people about it - suddenly I don't feel so bad then, and if I do shake, no one is surprised as they are expecting it. After all, it is not a crime. My brother who is older has never come to terms with it and lives a rather hermit like life because if it. Don't let something like this ruin your life as he has - when you think of it, it is not such a big deal afer all. Do what I did and confront your demons.

I am 42 and have suffered from a shaking head for many years now. It used to happen when I was stressed or upset and over the last few years it has got gradually worse and its pretty much all the time now. It is so bad I find myself holding my chin to stop my head shaking during meetings at work to avoid people noticing. It is really embarrasing and I don't know what to do. People do notice and if I have a hangover its even worse.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.


Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

Im 17, and had this for around 5 years now, i also have raynauds in the hands. Off to see a Neurologist in June, so will post back if it has made a difference.

Im 19 and I have the same thing! I understand how you feel about other people noticing it! I tend to play with my hair to try and make it not noticeable. I went to the doctors and got told that they will run blood tests and I have to go to the hospital to get checked out. No one else I know has it, it really makes you paranoid and kills your confidence.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your comment.



Please don’t swear or be rude in your comments, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting comments. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines

It looks like no one else has asked this question, so please fill in the rest of your details below.





This will be published. Surnames, nicknames or usernames are not allowed


Your email address will be kept confidential and will NOT be published – it is only being collected here in case Channel 4 need to contact you in relation to your answer.



Please don't swear or be rude in your questions, as they will not be added to the site. Please do not use your full name when posting questions. If in doubt, refer to the community guidelines

Questions submitted to the site will be answered by other site users, not by medical professionals, so if you have a medical concern, please book an appointment with your GP.

By posting on this website you are agreeing to abide by our community guidelines


Important Notice

The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.


If you want to embed our videos in your site, read our embedding T&Cs here


More Information

  1. In Detail: Sweaty Hands

    In Videos - An in detail look at the operation to cure a case of hiperhidrosis…

  2. Episode 2 - London

    In Episodes - This week's Embarrassing Bodies takes on the capital as the mobile…

  3. Quick Health Advice: Stress Incontinence

    In Videos - Dr Harper discusses stress incontinence and what can be done to sto…

  4. Consultation: Urinary Incontinence

    In Videos - Dr Jessen meets a woman whose problem bladder is ruling her life, b…


Be On Embarrassing Bodies

If you have a medical condition that you’d like the doctors to look at then please contact the team on 0121 224 8395.
Apply for the show here >