The condition of shaky hands when writing causes a lot of inconvenience in daily work, especially for those who need to write a lot. This condition needs to be treated promptly to not significantly affect the quality of work and future development.
1. What is the condition of shaky hands when writing?
Hand tremors when writing is the manifestation of shaking hands while holding a pen, writing, or signing, making it difficult or impossible to control the writing hand as intended. This results in illegible, poor handwriting or mistakes. Hand tremors can occur at any age, often in those who frequently use a pen, such as students, teachers, and people working in administrative or paperwork-related jobs.
2. Causes of hand tremors when writing
The condition of hand tremors can be caused by muscle stiffness in the fingers and wrist when writing, primarily due to disorders in the nerve transmission system from the hand to the spinal cord and up to the brain. In younger individuals, hand tremors when writing may result from stress, anxiety, excessive worry, or autonomic nervous system disorders. In the elderly, it can be due to essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease, post-stroke consequences, brain tumors, or head trauma.
Other potential causes of hand tremors when writing include the side effects of depression medication, sedatives, or deficiencies in potassium and calcium.
Risk factors that trigger and exacerbate hand tremors include chronic cerebral anemia such as fluctuations in blood pressure, cervical spondylosis, carotid artery atherosclerosis; diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Additionally, frequently working in polluted environments, prolonged exposure to chemicals, heavy metals, and pesticides also raises the risk of developing hand tremors while writing.
3. Characteristics of hand tremors while writing
The characteristics of hand tremors while writing vary from person to person. Some individuals may only exhibit mild symptoms that persist throughout their lives, while others may experience significant tremors but only for a certain period. If hand tremors occur frequently and are not accompanied by changes in emotional state, this could be a sign of underlying medical conditions. In more severe stages of the disease, patients may also experience other symptoms such as:
- Difficulty or inability to perform tasks requiring skilled motor coordination, such as playing an instrument, painting, etc.
- Difficulty holding objects, such as cups or bowls, without spilling their contents.
- Difficulty performing daily activities like applying makeup or shaving.
- Gradually becoming less fluent in speech.
- Having difficulty walking.
Furthermore, the condition of hand tremors while writing may worsen if the patient frequently feels fatigued, anxious, stressed, or consumes a lot of caffeine.
4. Improving hand trembling symptoms when writing
While hand trembling when writing cannot be completely cured, the following treatment methods can help improve the symptoms and make it easier to hold a pen. Accordingly:
- Medication: Depending on the specific diagnosed cause of hand trembling while writing, a doctor will consider prescribing medication for you, such as anticholinergic drugs (Artan, Trihex) or Botox injections. These medications should not be used for extended periods, as they can lead to dependency and side effects. You need to follow the doctor’s prescription correctly.
- Reducing stress and anxiety: You should take time to relax by practicing yoga meditation, deep breathing, or regularly listening to music. When writing, you can take a deep breath, exhale slowly, and the symptoms of hand trembling will decrease immediately and gradually improve over time.
- Performing hand tremor reduction exercises: Squeezing a ball and stretching finger joints helps improve flexibility and strengthen muscles. You should regularly practice by using one hand to strongly squeeze a small, soft rubber ball and hold it tightly for about 5 seconds, repeating 10 times in a row, then switch to the other hand to improve hand trembling.
- Pay attention to how to hold the pen: Relax your hand when holding the pen; the more you try to grip tightly and carefully, the harder it is to control the trembling. It’s advisable to relax your hands before writing by gently massaging and deep, steady breathing. You can use thicker pens for easier writing.
