Stopping Tremors by Locking Joints
Tremor is a medical term for "shaking." While shaking of the hands and feet is well-known, it is said to also include difficulty speaking caused by the onset of tremors in the vocal organs. The severity of the symptoms is influenced by mental states such as tension and excitement; my hands shake not only when I am in situations like speaking in front of others, writing, or eating, but even just from watching scenes on TV that move me (for better or worse).
It feels like I'm a highly sensitive young person, and it's embarrassing.
In my case, I have had symptoms of tremors in my right hand for several years. It might be a coincidence, but the symptoms started at the same time I began using a drug called Latuda, so it is not impossible to think that this drug might be the cause, but for now, the cause is unknown. I stopped taking Latuda because it did not have the effect I expected, but the tremors remain. I was taking anticholinergic drugs as a symptomatic treatment, but they didn't improve anything, so I stopped those as well.
As for the next option for oral medication, there are beta-blockers, but I was told they are not recommended because they have many side effects. Besides that, since I am taking many different types of medicine, the doctor is probably also worried about drug interactions.
There are also surgical treatments for tremors, a procedure where a hole is drilled into the skull, an electrode is inserted deep into the brain, and the problematic area is cauterized. If I get into the details, it seems there are two types, but since I am not a doctor, I will omit them.
There is also a method called CyberKnife, where no hole is drilled, but instead, ultrasound or something similar is applied from multiple directions around the head, focused and cauterized at the targeted affected area.
Each has its pros and cons regarding precision, cost, and so on. It's a dilemma. Heh heh heh.
However, one doctor (a neurologist; he was kind of arrogant and his response was sloppy) told me it was essential tremor (essential means the cause is unknown), the next doctor (a neurologist) told me, "It's psychogenic, so consult a psychiatrist," and when I told my primary psychiatrist about that, he developed his own theory that "psychogenic is the same as essential," so I am just left wondering what to do. I am being passed around.
Furthermore, when I told that psychiatrist, "It's embarrassing when my hands shake on the train and such," he offered words of comfort, saying, "People around you don't really pay that much attention."
No, no. It's not you who is embarrassed, it's me.
As usual, the introduction has become long, but this is where the main topic begins.
Since my right hand shakes, please think of that as the standard. Since this is just an N=1 example, it is unclear how universal the effect is, but for your reference.
When I get on a train, it's all strangers around me, so my hands tend to shake. However, if you panic here, the symptoms will get even worse.
First, let's take a deep breath and calm down. Also, leaving your hands floating is the worst thing to do, so if you are sitting, place your wrists and elbows on something you can fix them to, like your thighs. This should calm things down quite a bit.
It is not a good idea to try to suppress the movement by holding your hand with your palm facing inward. It has a hiding effect, but the shaking will not stop.
If the shaking of the hand beyond the wrist still remains, I "lock the joint" to suppress the movement. By the way, it is read as "kimete," not "kiwamete." I am applying joint techniques from martial arts and combat sports.
In the case of the right hand, rotate the wrist joint clockwise as far as it will go without pain. This is the same principle as when you place your hands on a computer keyboard. Just by doing that, the range of motion of the joint becomes smaller, so you "cannot shake," and the symptoms are significantly alleviated.
It is also a good method to hold your right hand with your left hand to maintain the posture. Grasp your right hand with your left hand, excluding the index finger, while bending it toward the back of the hand, and place your left index finger at the base of your right little finger.
It is more comfortable than just using the right hand, and above all, it can suppress the unnaturalness when seen from the side.
Conversely, twisting it also has a certain effect. Wrap your left hand around your right hand from the back, place your left thumb on the back of the base of your right little finger, grasp the thumb side of your palm with your other fingers, and lightly bend your wrist toward the little finger side.
In either case, it is essential to rotate the wrist and lock the joint.
The disadvantages are:
1. From the side, you look a bit like a strange person.
2. Many fine tasks, such as writing, are done with the palm facing toward you, so it is often useless.
3. When eating, if you do this while holding chopsticks or cutlery, it may be positioned as if you are aiming at the other person, so you might be thought of as rude, and an explanation may be necessary.
4. Since the range of motion of the joint is narrowed, if you fall while in that state, there is a possibility that the damage will be greater.
If anyone has a better method, please let me know. Thank you.
