Join Allison Boyle, MD, and Sam Javedan, MD, for a free previously recorded webinar on the latest treatment options for essential tremor.
Dr. Boyle, a fellowship-trained neurologist, and Dr. Javedan, a fellowship-trained neurosurgeon, specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of movement disorders.
Affiliated with Memorial Hermann Mischer Neurosciences and part of Mischer Neuroscience Associates, they have a comprehensive understanding of neurological conditions such as essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease and dystonia, with extensive experience in deep brain stimulation (DBS) and focused ultrasound.
During the webinar you will learn more about:
Some common medications that we use for ET include blood pressure medications called beta blockers and anti-seizure medications. Side effects vary, but can include fatigue, low blood pressure, weight loss, tingling of mouth and word finding issues.
One wearable device that has shown improvement in ET is an electrical stimulation device or neurostimulator that decreases the tremor while wearing a bracelet. Weighted utensils and writing devices have some efficacy for patients with ET, but not all patients with ET respond to the weighted devices.
Two other available treatments are deep brain stimulation (DBS), and Focused Ultrasound therapy.
DBS is a therapy that has been used for essential tremor since the late 1990’s. It involves a surgically implanted device that delivers small amounts of electrical energy to specific regions in the brain to suppress tremors. It is highly effective (around 80% improvement in most studies ) and can be modified over time if needed to keep up with any progression of the tremors over time.
DBS is very effective for hand and forearm tremors, nearly all patients have a positive response (with many tremor-free) in the hand and forearm after surgery. DBS therapy also helps many people with proximal arm (at the shoulder) tremor, head tremor and chin tremors, but response to head and chin tremors are less certain than for tremors of the hand and forearm.
Usually there is a one-night hospital stay after the DBS brain implant surgery. Usually, there is one additional outpatient procedure two weeks later to implant the battery. Typically, patients have periodic clinic visits (a few times per year) to check on and adjust the DBS stimulator.
The best option currently available for patients in this scenario is Focused Ultrasound therapy. MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is an incisionless technique that uses high-intensity focused ultrasound energy waves to heat up a precise target in the brain, creating a permanent lesion. The ultrasound is applied while the patient is in an MRI machine, so the physician can precisely monitor and confirm where the energy is being delivered.