Essential Tremors Reduced in Elderly Man Under Chiropractic

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published the results of a case showing the reduction in essential tremors for an elderly man receiving chiropractic care. According to the Mayo Clinic website, "Essential tremor is a nervous system (neurological) disorder that causes involuntary and rhythmic shaking. It can affect almost any part of your body, but the trembling occurs most often in your hands — especially when you do simple tasks, such as drinking from a glass or tying shoelaces. Essential tremor is usually not a dangerous condition, but it typically worsens over time and can be severe in some people."

The study begins by noting that essential tremors are a common condition in the elderly affecting about 5% of that population. Essential tremors are different than the tremors from Parkinson's disease in that essential tremors are in the upper extremities 95% of the time and are present during movement of the upper extremities unlike Parkinson's which are present while resting.

Common medical treatment usually involves medications such as beta blockers, anti-seizure drugs, tranquilizers, or even Botox injections. These treatments have mixed results and often include significant side effects and risks.

In this case, a 75-year-old man suffering with tremors affecting both hands went to the chiropractor to see if he could be helped. The man described his tremors as spasms that were pounding, dull and crawling, and were often accompanied by pain. He explained that his tremors started many years ago but had been getting progressively worse over the past four years.

In describing his tremors using a 0 to 10 scale, with 10 being the worst, he rated his problem as a 5/10 at its best and a 9/10 at the worst. The tremors interfered with his daily activities including eating and writing. He was on several medications that had little effect. He reported that the only thing that could relieve his tremors was alcohol consumption.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included a comprehensive neurological assessment, postural analysis, orthopedic evaluation, active range of motion, palpation, and spinal x-rays. The conclusion of the examination was the presence of multiple areas of vertebral subluxations present in the man’s spine. From this, the man was started on a regime of regular specific chiropractic adjustments to address the subluxations.

After 12 chiropractic visits, the man underwent a re-evaluation to determine the progress made. In addition to improvements noted in the results of the exam procedures, the man reported that he could notice a 50% reduction in his tremors. Because of this improvement, he was able to write more efficiently and was able to eat breakfast cereal with a spoon more easily. The authors concluded, "Chiropractic care resulted in significant decrease of essential tremors for this patient."