We aim to offer a support and advice to all sufferers of tremor irrespective of age or type. The most common of these is essential tremor, quite often hereditary, but we also have members with more complex and unusual tremors such as writing tremor, primary orthostatic tremor and myoclonic dystonic to name a few.

Tremor is a normal phenomenon which affects absolutely everyone and this is referred to as "physiological" tremor. In some situations, this tremor can become exaggerated such as when we are anxious or tired and this is then called an "exaggerated" or "enhanced" physiological tremor. So, everyone shakes it's just that some of us shake more than others and this can cause enormous problems when trying to do everyday things. For instance, many of my fellow sufferers are unable to carry or even drink a cup of tea without most of it ending up in the saucer. We can't go into a shop and sign a credit card receipt or even get money out to pay for our purchases without dropping it all over the floor. Therefore, we become hermits and will only eat and drink in front of family and friends who understand. Some of my fellow sufferers have a head tremor which is so very obvious and so very embarrassing because human nature being what it is, we all stare at something that looks odd.

Currently, Professor Leslie Findley estimates that even in the elderly, ET is at least 12 times more common than PD yet everyone has heard of PD but ET just makes people think of a cuddly alien!! Our youngest members is 7 but we do know that tremor can start from birth. There are just as many men as women with tremor so it has no gender barriers.

The biggest problem that many of us face, is getting the right diagnosis as we usually go through the process of being told we are anxious, drinking too much, or have Parkinson's Disease. Only some way along the line, do we actually find out we have a very common medical condition. The next big hurdle is then to find out what can help reduce the tremor. Interestingly, alcohol does reduce the tremor for a short period and I bet we're probably one of the only groups of patients who are told by their consultants to have a drink before going out!! Unfortunately there is no cure for tremor but there are medical options and over more recent years, surgical options. Sometimes these are successful and other times not but the one thing we all have in common, is a great sense of humour and the faith that one day, someone, somewhere may find a cure for us members of the "shaky crew".