Hello, this is Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic.

Mom's Hands Trembling Continuously? If You're Worried It Might Be Parkinson's Disease

If you've noticed your mother's hands trembling unstably one day, your heart must have dropped. The phrase "Mom's hands are trembling continuously" contains a deep anxiety beyond simple worry. Is this a natural phenomenon of aging, or a sign of a serious disease like Parkinson's disease? Such hand tremors not only cause great inconvenience in daily life, but also shake the hearts of family members with concern for the health of their beloved parents.

💡 Key Takeaways Top 3 most common causes of "Mom's hands trembling continuously": ① Essential Tremor: Tremors that worsen during specific actions. ② Parkinson's Disease: Accompanied by resting tremors, slowed movement, and rigidity. ③ Autonomic Imbalance: Tremors worsened by stress, overwork, and lack of sleep. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic relieves the root cause of hand tremors and restores body balance through autonomic stabilization.

Hand tremors are medically termed 'Tremor', referring to a phenomenon where a body part trembles rhythmically independent of will. Many people consider this a natural symptom of aging, but in reality, it occurs due to various causes and often requires accurate diagnosis and treatment. Especially in their 70s, tremors in mothers are frequently complex, involving brain function decline or autonomic nervous system abnormalities beyond simple muscle aging.

Tremor patterns can be largely divided into resting tremors and action tremors. Resting tremors mainly occur when resting and are a major symptom of Parkinson's disease. On the other hand, action tremors worsen during specific actions such as writing or using a spoon, which is the typical pattern of essential tremor (shaking hands). These tremors can worsen further during stress or tension, so the influence of the autonomic nervous system cannot be ignored.

Our body's autonomic system self-regulates essential life-sustaining functions such as heartbeat, digestion, and body temperature regulation. When the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves breaks down, abnormal symptoms appear throughout the body, much like a car engine overheating or brakes failing to work properly. In particular, excessive stress, chronic fatigue, and irregular lifestyle habits excessively hyperactivate sympathetic nerves, which is a major cause of inducing or worsening tremor symptoms.

Tremors are deeply related to excessive oscillation in the brain's motor control circuits, particularly the cerebellum-thalamus-cortex circuit. Autonomic imbalance impairs the stability of this brain function, accompanying various symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, sleep disorders, and anxiety alongside hand tremors. Even if no special abnormalities are found on tests, persistent hand tremors warrant suspicion of autonomic regulation dysfunction.

In Oriental medicine, tremors are called 'Jinjeon (振顫)' and are viewed not merely as muscle problems, but as arising from imbalances in Qi and blood circulation, functional decline of internal organs, and internal movement of liver wind (肝風內動). In particular, hand tremors in the elderly are diagnosed as frequently occurring when the harmony between the brain and nervous system breaks down alongside declining vitality.

Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch precisely diagnoses the cause of hand tremors and supports fundamental improvement through Oriental medicine treatments that correct bodily imbalance. Treatments lowering sympathetic hyperactivation and activating parasympathetic nerves restore autonomic balance, creating an environment where the brain can function stably to alleviate tremor symptoms.

In a retrospective chart review study by the research team at Kyung Hee University College of Korean Medicine published in Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2020, herbal medicine treatment applied to 69 patients with Essential Tremor showed improvement in tremor symptoms in 69.6% of patients, and particularly meaningful symptom improvement of over 30% in 53.6% of patients. In this study, herbal prescriptions from the Uk-Gan-san series were shown to be most effective in alleviating essential tremor symptoms. The researchers concluded that these results suggest Oriental medicine treatment has potential effectiveness in managing essential tremor symptoms. Based on these data, Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic treats the root cause of tremors and promotes autonomic stability through customized herbal prescriptions tailored to each patient's constitution and symptoms.

Additionally, in a study published in MDS Abstracts in 2018, applying complex Oriental medicine treatments including acupuncture, bee venom pharmacopuncture, moxibustion, and herbal medicine to 23 patients with Parkinsonism (16 idiopathic Parkinson's disease, 7 atypical Parkinsonism) resulted in a statistically significant decrease in Postural Instability and Gait Difficulty (PIGD) scores from a pre-treatment average of 8.35 ± 5.13 to 4.52 ± 3.68 after treatment (p < 0.001). This study demonstrates that Oriental medicine treatment is effective in improving motor function in patients with Parkinsonism. Since tremor is a major motor symptom of Parkinson's disease, Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch provides integrated Korean medicine treatment aimed at improving overall motor function and quality of life for Parkinson's patients based on these research findings.

Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic centers its core treatment on autonomic stabilization, finding the root cause of hand tremors in autonomic imbalance. When autonomic balance collapses, the brain cannot rest and becomes hyperactivated, sending abnormal signals like tremors. Just like rebooting an overheated computer system by turning it off and on again, we focus on calming excessive nervous system excitement and creating an environment where the brain can self-heal. In Oriental medicine, this is expressed as 'Suseunghagang (水昇火降)', where upper body energy is kept clear and cool while lower body warmth is maintained, supporting systemic circulation and nervous system stability.

Customized herbal prescriptions according to individual constitution and symptoms improve Qi and blood circulation and regulate autonomic function to alleviate tremors. Furthermore, acupuncture relaxes tense muscles and nerves, activating brain function to reduce tremors. Pharmacopuncture directly injects refined herbal extracts into acupuncture points to maximize therapeutic effects, and moxibustion warms the body to promote circulation and calm mind and body. This complex Oriental medicine treatment goes beyond simply suppressing symptoms, helping the body heal and find balance on its own. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch strives to improve the quality of life for patients suffering from chronic hand tremors through this integrated approach.

If 3 or more of the following questions apply to you, you may suspect tremors caused by autonomic dysfunction. If 5 or more apply, we recommend a consultation with the medical staff at Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo branch for precise diagnosis and treatment.

• Hand tremors become worse during specific actions like writing or holding objects compared to resting or sitting still.
• Tremors worsen further and are accompanied by anxiety when tense or stressed.
• Frequent symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, or nausea alongside hand tremors.
• Difficulty falling asleep or frequent waking when lying down to sleep, indicating poor sleep quality.
• Cold hands and feet with frequent heart palpitations or chest stuffiness.
• Unexplained anxiety, restlessness, and severe emotional mood swings.
• Vulnerability to stress and complaints of chronic fatigue.
• Frequent stiffness in shoulders and neck with a stiff back of the neck.

Q. Mom's hand tremors, is it Parkinson's disease? I'm worried. A. Not all hand tremors mean Parkinson's disease. Hand tremors in the elderly are more commonly caused by essential tremor (shaking hands) or autonomic imbalance. However, if resting tremor, slowed movement, and rigidity accompany it, the possibility of Parkinson's disease exists, making accurate diagnosis important.

Q. How do essential tremor and Parkinson's tremor differ? A. Essential tremor mainly appears during specific actions or maintaining postures and worsens with tension. In contrast, Parkinson's tremor is characterized by resting tremor occurring while resting, which tends to temporarily ease when moving.

Q. Can hand tremors completely disappear with Korean medicine treatment? A. Korean medicine treatment aims to correct autonomic imbalance and bodily abnormalities—the root causes of hand tremors—to significantly alleviate symptoms and lower recurrence rates. While individual differences exist, in many cases, daily life discomfort can be greatly reduced and quality of life improved.

Q. Can I receive Korean medicine treatment while taking regular medication? A. Yes, you can undergo Korean medicine treatment while taking existing medications. Korean medicine treatment can help reduce side effects of medications and enhance therapeutic effects, and a safe treatment plan can be established through consultation with medical staff considering interactions with current medications.

Hand tremors like "Mom's hands are trembling continuously" are not problems solved by enduring them. You no longer need to ignore the bodily signals sent over a long time. Approaching in the right direction makes the body react faster than expected. Bring the symptoms you are experiencing right now as they are. Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic will find the cause together with you.

A place where life blossoms. Herbal medicine is Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic. Check your similar symptoms first through Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic website AI consultation!

This health information was organized collaboratively by Dalimchae medical staff based on questions frequently received in the clinic room. Medical Review | Brain & Autonomic Nervous System Treatment Standard, Dalimchae Korean Medicine Clinic Songdo Branch, Korean Medicine Doctor Oh Hyunmin (Parkinson's Disease Column)

#HandTremors #EssentialTremor #ParkinsonsDisease #AutonomicNervousSystem #GeriatricTremors #SongdoTremorClinic #SongdoKoreanClinic #OrientalMedicineTreatment #AutonomicStabilization