Yes, people with lupus can experience shaky hands (tremors), which can stem from the autoimmune condition itself, inflammation affecting the nervous system (Neuropsychiatric SLE), nerve damage (neuropathy), or as a side effect from certain lupus medications like corticosteroids. While not a universally common symptom, tremors can range from mild to severe and impact daily tasks, making it harder to hold objects or causing things to drop.
While tremors aren't a common symptom of lupus itself, they can develop in some people with the condition. Sometimes, an overactive immune system can damage your nervous system, leading to tremors. Medications that target your immune system can cause involuntary muscle movements.
Hand tremors can happen because of: A lack of sleep. Nutritional deficiency — A lack of vitamin B12, calcium, or magnesium can cause shaking hands. Medication — Some antidepressants, asthma inhalers, certain heart treatments, steroids, and other medications can cause hand tremors as a side effect.
Tremor can be a sign of a neuropathy, a disorder of the peripheral nerves, or the nerves that bring messages from the brain and spinal cord to rest of the body. In particular, neuropathies caused by autoimmune syndromes such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) can have tremor as a component.
There are many subsets of arthritis, but the arthritis seen in lupus closely resembles rheumatoid arthritis in that it is symmetric (affects the same locations on either side of the body) and usually affects the small joints of the hands, wrists, and feet.
The most affected activity area was productivity, where reduced grip force, fumbling, and pain were the most interfering body functions.
Vitamins B1, B6 and B12 are integral in keeping the nervous system in strong working order. And, while essential tremors are more hereditary in nature, a deficiency in vitamins B1, B6 or B12 are known to cause shakiness and tremors in the hands.
The "worst" autoimmune diseases are subjective but often ranked by severity, impact on life expectancy, and organ damage, with top contenders including Giant Cell Myocarditis (deadly heart inflammation), Vasculitis (blood vessel inflammation like GPA), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (multi-organ attacks), Multiple Sclerosis (nervous system damage), and Type 1 Diabetes (pancreas destruction). These conditions can severely affect quality of life, cause permanent disability, and reduce lifespan if not managed effectively, though rare ones like Giant Cell Myocarditis are acutely fatal.
The exact cause of PSP is unknown, but research suggests that it involves progressive damage to cells in a few specific areas in the brain, mainly in the brain stem. The death of brain cells in one of these areas, the substantia nigra, accounts in part for the motor symptoms that PSP and Parkinson's have in common.
Handshakes have transcended centuries and cultures, symbolizing connection, respect, and camaraderie.
Tremor red flags signaling a potentially serious underlying condition include sudden onset, worsening over time, significant functional impairment, or the presence of other neurological symptoms like balance/gait issues (ataxia), slow movements (bradykinesia), muscle stiffness (rigidity), speech problems (dysarthria), or changes in thinking/memory; unusual age (under 20 or over 80); or association with alcohol withdrawal, certain medications, or systemic illness (e.g., thyroid issues). These signs warrant urgent medical evaluation to differentiate from common tremors.
Hand tremor is a significant symptom of hypoglycemia, as nerves and muscles are powered by blood sugar. However, to our knowledge, no validated tools or algorithms exist to monitor and detect hypoglycemic events via hand tremors.
Some lupus complications can include:
Lupus and Sjogren's syndrome are both autoimmune diseases. Up to 5.5 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with lupus or Sjogren's syndrome. However, Sjogren's syndrome occurs up to three times more than lupus, but one-third of lupus patients also have Sjogren's syndrome.
Abstract. Introduction: Neuropsychiatric manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) occur in about half of the patients; however, movement disorders like Parkinsonism are rare.
Like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that mainly affects the joints, usually the wrists, fingers and toes. But it can also affect the eyes, mouth, or lungs.
With modern medicine, most people with lupus (SLE) can expect a near-normal lifespan, with 85-90% surviving at least 10 years post-diagnosis, and many living much longer due to earlier diagnosis and better treatments, though complications like heart disease, infection, and kidney issues remain major concerns. Factors like age at diagnosis, disease severity, race, and treatment adherence significantly influence outcomes, but overall, lupus management has vastly improved survival rates.
Asherson's syndrome is an extremely rare autoimmune disorder characterized by the development, over a period of hours, days or weeks, of rapidly progressive blood clots affecting multiple organ systems of the body.
Essential tremor (ET) is a neurological disorder that causes your hands, head, trunk, voice or legs to shake rhythmically. It is often confused with Parkinson's disease. Essential tremor is the most common trembling disorder.
Mild hand tremors that do not affect a person's daily life are not usually a cause for concern. However, if a person experiences severe or persistent hand tremors that interfere with their daily activities, they should see a doctor to help determine the cause.
Symptoms of vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia
Key Takeaways. Lupus can cause hand tremors that range from mild to severe, impacting daily activities and quality of life for those living with the condition.
Lupus can attack many different parts of the body. Some call it the cruel mystery. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can strike any part of the body, but the wide range of symptoms can be easily mistaken for something else.
The toes may also undergo distinct color changes. Lupus can cause vasculitis, which is the inflammation of the blood vessels themselves. In the feet, this can reduce blood flow to the skin, purplish appearing skin, or even ulcers and subsequent skin infections.