Tremor due to autonomic nervous disorder: Causes, symptoms and treatment

The article was professionally consulted with Doctor Phan Dinh Thuy Tien - General Internal Medicine - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

The autonomic nervous system has the function of controlling the activities of the internal organs without the control of consciousness. When having a nervous system disorder, the patient will face many difficulties and obstacles, including symptoms of tremor. Tremor due to autonomic disorders has very diverse manifestations, the treatment needed depends on the cause of the autonomic disorder.

The autonomic nervous system includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, a system of nerves that control bodily functions independent of consciousness. This is the control center and control center for heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, digestion, excretory ducts, bladder function and also sex drive.
Transmitter of nerve signals produced and released into nerve endings and target organs, for the purpose of stimulating or inhibiting organs, in the context of simultaneous coordination of many different organ systems in a balanced way. For example, when a person is under stress, the autonomic nervous system causes the heart rate to increase, blood pressure to rise, hands and feet shaking, sweating. On the contrary, when resting and relaxing, sympathetic stimulation will decrease, heart slows down, blood pressure returns to normal, muscles relax.
Pathologies that cause damage at the nerve level can lead to autonomic disorders. Among them, long-standing diabetes is the most common cause of autonomic neuropathy. At this point, symptoms occur and treatment varies based on the cause of the nerve damage.

Tremor is a fairly common movement disorder. This is a condition in which the muscles contract continuously, causing movements of certain amplitudes and frequencies and completely uncontrolled by the patient. In which, tremor due to autonomic disorder is characterized by occurring more in the distal extremities than in the proximal limbs, such as in the hands and feet, symmetrically on both sides of the body and is not related to movement, concentration. ; sometimes shaking hands with nervousness.
In addition, the person may also have signs and symptoms of autonomic neuropathy, depending on the type of nerve affected. Furthermore, when approaching patients with tremor symptoms, it is necessary to investigate multiple causes; however, if the following symptoms are present, the possibility of tremor due to autonomic dysfunction should be considered first.
Dizziness and fainting when standing, caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure

Urinary problems, such as difficulty initiating urination, urinary incontinence, difficulty sensing a full bladder, and inability to completely empty the bladder, can lead to recurrent urinary tract infections many times again.
Difficulty with sexual performance, including erectile dysfunction or problems with ejaculation in men; In women are problems with vaginal dryness, low libido, and difficulty reaching orgasm.
Difficulty digesting food, such as feeling full early, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, nausea, vomiting, difficulty swallowing and heartburn.
Inability to self-recognize hypoglycemia, especially in patients with diabetes.
Abnormal sweating, such as sweating too much or too little, affects the body's ability to regulate temperature.
Cardiovascular function is intolerant to exercise or exertion, heart rate does not change proportionately with increased stimulation.

There are many different health conditions that can affect the autonomic nervous system. In rare cases, autonomic dysfunction can also be a side effect of using drugs to treat other conditions, such as cancer. Some common causes of autonomic dysfunction include:
Abnormal protein accumulation in organs with amyloidosis, which also affects the nervous system. Autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system attacks parts of the body, including the nerves, such as Sjogren's syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and celiac disease. In which, the most important is Guillain-Barre syndrome, which is a severe and rapidly progressive autoimmune disease, affecting the autonomic nerves as well as motor and sensory nerves. Paraneoplastic syndromes due to abnormalities of the immune system that occur in some cancers may also have an effect on autonomic neuropathy. Diabetes mellitus, especially with long disease duration and poor glucose control, is the most common cause of autonomic dysfunction throughout the body.

Certain drugs, including some used in cancer chemotherapy. Some diseases are contagious with viral and bacterial agents such as botulism, Lyme disease and HIV Genetic disorders.

Treatment of autonomic tremor includes the following goals:
Treatment of the etiology : This is the primary goal of the treatment of general autonomic dysfunction by detecting and managing good disease or condition that causes nerve damage. For example, if the underlying cause is diabetes, the person needs to have their blood sugar tightly controlled to prevent the autonomic neuropathy from getting worse. Symptomatic treatment: Several treatments can relieve symptoms caused by autonomic dysfunction. In particular, people with hand tremors are often accompanied by continuous rapid heart rate. At this point, drugs to regulate heart rate such as beta blockers will both help improve heart rate if it is always too fast for activity level and also help reduce hand tremors.

In addition, living with chronic conditions is a daily challenge that requires people to know how to reconcile and adapt. Here are some life adjustment suggestions to help people cope with autonomic symptoms, including tremors: Organize your day's to-dos in order of priority , avoid causing inhibition, stress. Seek and accept help from friends, neighbors, and family members. Practicing certain movements often causes tremors, which often makes it difficult for physiotherapists to find more appropriate ways of doing daily activities. Have a reasonable time to rest and relax. Address negative thoughts with psychotherapists if needed. Consider joining support groups to gain empathy. In summary, autonomic tremor is a manifestation of altered motor function due to physical damage to the nerve. Treatment is often difficult and requires long-term patience. However, the symptoms of autonomic disorders, including tremor, will improve effectively if the etiology is actively controlled and risk factors are avoided.

Reference source: healthplus.vn