The main difference is that tremor is the medical term for involuntary, rhythmic shaking, often neurological, affecting hands, head, or limbs, while shaking is the general, everyday word for trembling from causes like fear, cold, or illness; essentially, all tremors are shaking, but not all shaking is a medical tremor, as shaking can be a temporary, normal response to emotions or environment. A tremor involves uncontrollable muscle contractions, while general shaking can be a conscious or unconscious bodily response.
A tremor is a neurological condition that includes shaking or trembling movements in one or more parts of your body. It most often affects the hands. But it can also affect the arms, legs, head, vocal cords, and torso (trunk). A tremor is involuntary, meaning that you cannot control it.
OBJECTIVES—Postural tremor is a regularly encountered side effect of amitriptyline which can be strong enough to cause discontinuation of therapy. The aim was to characterise amitriptyline induced tremor and to assess if the central or reflex component of physiological tremor was modulated by this drug.
Numbness or tingling in face and extremities. Twitching of the muscles. Uncontrollable shaking of the hands. Seizures.
A tremor is when you're not able to control shaking or trembling in part of your body. See a GP if a tremor is affecting your life as treatment may help to reduce it.
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.
Stimulants such as caffeine and amphetamines. Antidepressant medicines such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and tricyclics. Heart medicines such as amiodarone, procainamide, and others. Certain antibiotics.
Common side effects
Hand tremors are common and are often due to stress or tiredness. They may also indicate several health conditions. For some people, shaky hands may be a minor inconvenience. For others, the symptom may lead to difficulty using the hands for everyday tasks.
Tremor can occur on its own or be a symptom of other neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or stroke. Tremor sometimes can be caused by other medical conditions, including but not limited to: Medicines.
Amitriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant that is widely used to treat chronic neuropathic pain (pain due to nerve damage). It is recommended as a first line treatment in many guidelines. Neuropathic pain can be treated with antidepressant drugs in doses below those at which the drugs act as antidepressants.
Common side effects
A tremor is a shaking or trembling in your body which you are unable to control. Anxiety, fear, feeling generally unwell and fever can all make you feel trembly - the expression 'shaking in his boots' is one we all recognise.
Jittery is a term used to describe a series of recurrent tremors in infants. Tremors are involuntary, rhythmic, oscillatory movements of equal amplitude. Tremors are described as fine or coarse.
Everyone has a tiny bit of shaking in their body, called “physiologic tremor.” This tiny, barely noticeable shakiness is a result of normal processes in the body such as heartbeat and muscle activity. This type of tremor is usually so small that you can't see it, and it doesn't get in the way of everyday activities.
If you take oral corticosteroids for a long time, your adrenal glands may produce less of their natural steroid hormones. To give your adrenal glands time to recover this function, your provider may reduce your dose gradually.
There is no “safe” dose of prednisone. Prednisone over time increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and infection. It can worsen underlying diabetes and HTN. The effects are dose related– higher the dose, the worse the side effects.
What may interact with this medication?
β-Blockers, most commonly propranolol, and primidone are the drugs of choice for treatment of ET. Both these agents have level A recommendation, and either can be used for initial treatment of ET[4] depending on the concurrent medical conditions, and potential side effects.
Identifying Early Signs of Essential Tremor
The initial manifestation of essential tremor often involves a slight shaking or trembling in one or both hands. The tremor typically occurs when the hands are in use, termed an “action tremor,” contrasting with tremors that occur at rest.
Any medication that interferes with dopamine transmission may cause parkinsonism. The prototypical drugs are dopamine receptor blocking agents, specifically those that block D2.
Essential tremor is diagnosed by a neurologist. During an evaluation, your doctor will talk to you about your symptoms and perform a neurological examination. In rare cases, your doctor may order imaging and blood tests to rule out other causes of tremor.
How quickly should I seek medical care for sudden neurological symptoms? For symptoms like sudden severe headache, one-sided weakness, vision loss, or slurred speech, seek emergency care immediately. These could indicate life-threatening conditions like stroke where every minute matters for treatment outcomes.
Essential tremor can be confused with typical Parkinson's disease symptoms, but the two movement disorders are separate conditions. Because these diagnoses can get tangled up, it's helpful to understand their differences.