These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
[posted 11/5/1999]
Question: I have been taking inderal for 12 years for migrane headaches & essential tremor. Since this time, I have only had 2 severe headaches, but from time to time I see the light “tracers” that use to indicate that I saw before having a migrane. Also, I have noticed that my hands have started to tremble more than they have in the past. Is it time to increase my dosage or perhaps change to a different type of medication?
Answer: Essential tremor tends to increase with age, I’d try increasing your beta blocker first. It certainly is working for the migraines and is “killing two birds at once”.
Benign Tremors
Question: What causes Benign Tremors and can they be cured?
Answer: Benign tremors are generally inherited and are also called Benign Familial Tremors. Hard to
know the cause, but they are generally improved with beta blockers or ethanol. The beta
blockers apparently work because they have a similar side chain to ethanol (the ol part). Some
patients discover that they won’t get the shakes if they drink which is absolutely true(also
diagnostic). However, the beta blockers are not addicting and will usually have the same effect.
There is no cure, just treatment.
