The phenomenon in which a finger twitches is a sign of nervous disorders. In a healthy person who leads a healthy lifestyle and does not suffer from chronic diseases of the nervous system, this symptom may also appear periodically. In this case, the muscle fibers that are responsible for the motor activity of the fingers begin to contract involuntarily, and the person cannot control these movements. The reasons for this phenomenon may vary, and if they persist for a long time, you should consult a neurologist.
Causes
Almost every person has experienced finger trembling. This phenomenon can occur during severe anxiety or fear. With strong emotional outbursts, adrenaline is released into the blood, which results in finger trembling. Finger tremor can also be observed in a calm state, during physical overexertion, or during prolonged stress. These signs refer to the physiological type of tremor, which is also called normal or benign.
The main causes of physiological tremor are:
- any stressful situation, emotional outbursts;
- consumption of caffeine in large quantities (tea, coffee, chocolate);
- active smoking;
- hypothermia;
- muscle overstrain due to physical activity;
- high blood pressure;
- elderly age;
- increased doses of alcohol;
- taking certain medications.
Physiological tremor of the fingers usually does not cause discomfort in a person and disappears when the cause of its occurrence is eliminated. If tremor persists for more than two weeks, you should consult a neurologist.
Tremor that is permanent is called pathological and requires mandatory consultation with a neurologist. At the Yusupov Hospital, professional neurologists will conduct high-quality diagnostics and prescribe effective treatment.
Identifying the cause of pathological tremor of the fingers is not always easy. The causes of this symptom may be:
- osteochondrosis of the cervical spine;
- liver and kidney diseases;
- vascular diseases;
- hereditary predisposition;
- Parkinson's disease;
- lesions of the cerebellum or brain stem.
The presence of tremor of the left thumb or any other finger is a reason to visit a doctor. It is necessary to determine the type of tremor, the cause of its occurrence and development. To do this, a detailed diagnosis of the patient’s body is carried out. At the Yusupov Hospital, patients are examined using the best modern equipment. Tremors are classified:
- by frequency of oscillatory movements (slow and fast);
- depending on the location (tremor of the head, arms, legs, fingers, tongue);
- by the nature of movements;
- depending on the conditions in which it occurs (static, mixed, dynamic, postural);
- depending on the causes.
After conducting a detailed diagnosis, which includes examining the patient, checking tremor with a tremograph, MRI, ultrasound, collecting tests, the doctor determines the treatment algorithm.
Prevention
Prevention of relapses of nervous tics almost completely repeats the recommendations for combating this disorder: it is recommended to avoid stressful situations, a healthy lifestyle, mobility, good sleep, optimal nutrition. Training in self-control techniques (meditation, yoga) is highly recommended.
While creating the impression of a non-serious disorder, finger twitching often remains underestimated. If you feel involuntary muscle twitching, you need to contact a specialist and undergo a series of examinations. Such a responsible approach will prevent serious consequences.
- Author: Administrator
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How does tremor manifest in older people?
Trembling in the hands occurs as a result of the work of two muscle groups that have different directions of action. Rhythmic vibrations of the hands occur involuntarily; they have approximately the same frequency and variable amplitude. Tremor cannot be controlled, so it creates a lot of inconvenience. Tremors make it difficult to perform even the simplest actions, such as lifting a glass of water or fastening a button. The tremor can be long-lasting and not go away for several days or even weeks. Depending on the cause of the tremor, it can occur at rest, during movements, changing positions or staying in one position for a long time, or emotional stress.
Pathological tremor is a consequence of any disease of the central or peripheral nervous system. It occurs regardless of physical or psychological changes. Most often, pathological tremor in older people is observed with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, tumors, diabetes mellitus, after a stroke, etc. Pathological tremor is accompanied by other clinical manifestations:
- disturbances of consciousness;
- impaired coordination of movements;
- difficulty pronouncing words;
- involuntary eye movements;
- tremor of other parts of the body.
Possible complications and prognosis
Lack of treatment leads to difficulties in performing everyday activities.
Spontaneous twitching of various parts of the body does not pose a threat to human life, but interferes with leading a normal lifestyle and causes difficulties of a social and psychological nature . Severe forms of the disease complicate voluntary motor acts and self-care, and are fraught with disability. With severe forms of nervous tics in children, mental abilities decrease and coordination of movements becomes difficult. They fail at school, have difficulty mastering the basic curriculum, and have serious problems with memory and attention.
General prognoses of the disease depend on the underlying cause. In most cases, with the correct selection of therapy, it is possible to relieve symptoms or reduce their frequency.
Hand tremors in older people: causes
The causes of hand tremors in older people are usually associated with instability of the nervous system or the development of pathological processes in the brain. Treatment for tremor in older people will directly depend on the underlying cause of the condition.
Tremors in older people should be treated by a specialist. In this case, it is a neurologist. The doctor will perform a neurological examination of the patient and prescribe the necessary examination. At the Yusupov Hospital you can get advice from highly qualified neurologists. Doctors and candidates of medical sciences, doctors of the highest category, who are leading experts in the treatment of diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, work here.
There are several main diseases that can provoke tremors in older people:
- Parkinson's disease;
- multiple sclerosis;
- stroke;
- traumatic brain injury;
- tumor formations in the brain;
- renal failure;
- hyperthyroidism;
- hypoglycemia;
- diabetes;
- neuropathy.
Tremors can also be the result of poisoning from toxic substances such as mercury. Hand tremors are a component sign of alcohol and drug poisoning. It can occur in people who abuse caffeine. Tremors are also observed in people struggling with alcohol addiction when they stop drinking their usual dose of alcohol.
Lifestyle recommendations
The thumb on the right hand twitches not always as a result of any illness, but doctors recommend not ignoring the symptom and consulting a doctor. In addition to the main treatment, it is worth changing your lifestyle and introducing some habits into your normal daily routine that will help normalize your psycho-emotional state.
Doctors recommend spending more time resting and avoiding stressful situations. If nervous tension cannot be controlled, you can meditate daily for 10-20 minutes. This will significantly improve the condition.
For the entire period of therapy, it is better to avoid drinking alcohol, smoking, as well as drinking strong coffee, tea, and other drinks that can increase nervous excitability. It is recommended to adhere to the principles of a healthy diet, exclude fatty and smoked foods, and canned food. Such restrictions can significantly reduce the likelihood of developing complications from internal organs.
Treatment methods
As part of first aid for twitching fingers, you should try to locally strain the contracting muscle group and hold it in a tense state for several seconds. After this, the effect of weakening or complete disappearance of twitching is observed. The described technique can eliminate the symptom only for a while, and has no effect on the cause of the disease.
Approaches to the treatment of a condition characterized by twitching of the fingers are determined by the immediate cause that caused the symptom. The basis of treatment for thyroid conditions is the elimination of symptoms by influencing the central nervous system, as well as influencing the psycho-emotional state of the patient.
For primary idiopathic nervous tics, the main treatment is sedatives. Secondary nervous tics that occur against the background of the organic form are often resistant to treatment with sedatives. This is an indication for the prescription of antipsychotic and anti-anxiety drugs, which should complement the treatment of the underlying disease that causes muscle contractions.
Folk remedies
Folk recipes that help against nervous tics are aimed at normalizing the functioning of the nervous system. Useful for this purpose:
- decoctions and infusions of peppermint;
- a decoction made from rue, plantain, honey and anise seeds;
- aromatherapy with essential oils of orange, lavender, sage, rose, lemon balm, juniper.
All folk remedies are prepared from herbal medicinal raw materials, which can be a potential allergen. Before taking such medications, you must ensure that you are not hypersensitive to the components.
Diet
Since one of the causes of impaired neuromuscular conduction and the occurrence of nervous tics is electrolyte imbalance, to solve the problem it is necessary to adjust the diet. It must include foods rich in calcium:
- poppy seeds containing up to 1500 mg of this element per 100 g,
- parmesan cheese,
- sesame,
- processed cheese,
- almond,
- beans.
It is strongly recommended to pay attention to the magnesium content in food products. Foods rich in magnesium: rice bran, sesame seeds, wheat bran, almonds, buckwheat, walnuts, beans.
Lifestyle recommendations
To solve the problem of nervous tics, it is necessary to rebuild everyday life and subordinate it to a certain regime. The new way of life will differ in a number of features:
- Getting up and going to bed should be done at the same hours. For the first time, until addiction develops, you will have to acquire a reminder system.
- You should start your morning with physical exercise and do it several times throughout the day.
- Limit the working day to the generally accepted 8 hours.
- It is mandatory to set aside hours for rest.
- You need to spend at least an hour a day in the fresh air.
- Reduce the duration of eye strain (TV, computer, reading, driving).
- Be sure to monitor the optimal duration of sleep, which should be at least 7 hours a day. It is best if this sleep is continuous.