Do You Know About The New Non-Invasive Treatment For Tremor? - Dr. Shivam Mittal

1
Millions of people across the globe are suffering
from tremor one of the most disabling and
embarrassing ailments. The first elements that
are affected include the hands fingers and
arms. Tremor makes it difficult for the patient
to perform even the simplest of tasks like
holding a pen, using a spoon, and driving. But,
as and when the tremor increases and expands to
the trunk and legs, it makes it difficult for the
patient to keep balance, resulting in falls. In
this way, patients may also get bedridden in the
worst of scenarios!
Tremor treatment in Bangalore is generally done
with the help of drugs like propranolol and
primidone. However, these drugs can make people
dizzy and unsteady. Another option is surgical
Deep Brain Stimulation. This process involves the
deep implantation of electrodes into the
thalamus of the brain to control muscle movement
and tremor. These electrodes are connected to a
pacemaker-like device that is implanted in the
chest, which generates electric pulses to be
delivered to the thalamus to block the tremor.
This device works on a battery, which needs to be
replaced every few years. Although this surgical
option is effective, it is also highly invasive,
and comes with a risk of infection. Now, leaving
behind medications and the surgical option, a new
promising non-invasive treatment is being worked
upon, which has actually been approved by the US
Food and Drug Administration in July 2016. This
procedure uses magnetic resonance-guided focused
2
ultrasound, with no incision, no electrodes, and
no anesthesia. In this process, MR imaging is
used to locate Ventralis Intermedius a tiny
section of the thalamus which is the source of
tremor. This small segment is destroyed through
the heat passed to it by focused ultrasound.
Tremor can be reduced up to 50 through this
procedure! However, just like medications and
Deep Brain Stimulation, even this treatment has
its own drawbacks. Because a part of the brain
is killed with heat, the body anatomy of the
patient is changed forever. Also, heated the
thalamus may also affect other parts of the body,
where abnormal sensations can be felt. So,
whichever procedure you choose to treat tremor,
remember that along with cure comes risk too.
And, another thing you must remember is that
while medications and Deep Brain Stimulation is
widely available, focused ultrasonography is not.
This is because this new procedure has only been
approved for essential tremor as of now, and not
any other tremor signs. Therefore, until the
procedure is approved as a therapy to be used for
general tremors, you may have to stick with
medications or Deep Brain Stimulation. If you are
a patient of Parkinsons disease, it is always
advisable to opt for Deep Brain Stimulation from
someone professional like Dr. Shivam Mittal, who
is known to provide the best tremor treatment in
Bangalore. And, if you are a patient with
essential tremor and lucky enough to have
access to a professional doctor providing
focused ultrasonography, make sure to discuss
this option with your doctor openly first, rather
than just jumping for it.