Essential Tremor

[violinnathan]

Hello everyone, I am new to this web site and I am excited to post some of the symptoms that my younger brother and I have been experiencing for the last 10 years. It began with me when I was 10-12, and the same with my younger brother. I am now 28 and he is 23. My parents are avid teachers of the suzuki method for violin in Ohio, and consequently, all of my siblings as well as myself have played the violin or piano since the age of 2. So here......somone give me some feedback or direction....around the age of 12, I was performing at a university. I noticed (as well as my teacher and everyone els) that I had a remarkable tremor in my left hand...so bad that I couldnt play in front of people. I went to the doctor at that time, and was perscribed propanolol...which worked well. The tremor was in my left hand only, and happened only when my had was suppinated. This movement dissorder has been with me ever since. It has progressed somewhat, but for the most part, remains the same. It affects me only in suppination (hand palm up), and movement. It is not a resting tremor. My brother has somewhat of the same thing, in the other hand, and in a slightly different position. No significant testing was done between then and now other than an EMG of my left arm. I am now a paramedic, and have become somewhat more aware of the medical field and how it works. I recently went in to a neurologist and he ordered a contrast MRI of the head and neck ( I am amaized that it wasn't demanded by the physicians back then). I find out the results on August 13. 2007. Has anyone had or heard of any symptoms like these? Any performing artists out there that struggle with movement dissorders??

[violinnathan]

I would also like to add that 1 year ago, my sister was diagnosed with a papillary glioneuronal neoplasm which was successfully excised at the local university clinic. It was in the ocipital lobe and was about the size of a golf ball....completely encapsulated. This thing had a growth rate of 25!! could these be genetic? I guess that I will have a lot of information for the result of this after the 13th of this month. Thanks!

[curt]

Haven't heard of it before, but if you got better with a beta blocker and only had the problem playing in front of people then it sounds like performance anxiety. I suppose it could a carpal tunnel issue. Good luck

[violinnathan]

Haven't heard of it before, but if you got better with a beta blocker and only had the problem playing in front of people then it sounds like performance anxiety. I suppose it could a carpal tunnel issue. Good luck
No.....Here is an update....MRI was normal...C-spine had congenital deformities on C4-C5...EMG was inconclusive.....over the last month, torsion tremor has appeared in my right hand....also...over the last month, my father who is a professional violinist has noticed a tremor in his Rt hand (55 yrs old). this is a localized Dystonia. BUT....here are some of the other symptoms which I believe are associated with these tremors (not resting tremors....they are also present even when not performing). these are also common to my father, mother, and one of my brothers.
1. "Spells" Or "attacks" in the afternoon where attention and alertness mimick hypoglycemia, but at
the time of these spells, BG levels never fall below 84.
2. Protein found occasionally in the Urine durring teenage years whe tremor developed. As far as
presently, no proteinurea has been found
3. Out of the ordinary BG levels that have absolutely no coordination to dietary habits. Typically will
be higher (150-170) in the AM and can fall to 78 on rare occasions.
4. GI disturbances with abdominal pain....CT ofthe abdomen and Lower GI series was negative
5. Grandfather died of parkinsons....or parkinsonian like symptoms.
6. Blurred vision ..occasionally on exertive activities...but usually corrolate with the "spells" in the
afternoon.

There is more.....but that should trigger something for someone... Anyone knowledgeable about the Chromosome 18p abnormality of the German and European families that have been studied in corolation with unexplained distonias???