Jul 22, 2026
31 May 2026 American Medical Journal Neurology
PARKINSON’S disease patients described restored autonomy after STN-DBS, while still fearing symptom recurrence in daily life after surgery.
Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation may improve daily function for people with Parkinson’s disease, but new qualitative findings show that life after treatment is shaped by both regained independence and ongoing uncertainty.
A descriptive phenomenological study explored how 10 people with Parkinson’s disease experienced daily life after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation, also known as STN-DBS. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed using Giorgi’s descriptive method, with the aim of capturing lived experiences beyond measurable functional outcomes.
Restored Autonomy in Daily Life
Participants described strong feelings of gratitude and relief after STN-DBS, particularly when the intervention helped them regain autonomy and take part in meaningful daily activities. For many, the treatment supported a renewed sense of normalcy, allowing them to move beyond the identity of being a patient and feel “fully human” again.
These accounts highlight a clinically important dimension of Parkinson’s disease care: the value of participation, independence, and self-management. Although STN-DBS is already established for individuals whose response to pharmacologic treatment becomes insufficient, the study suggests that its impact may be felt most powerfully in ordinary routines, social participation, and the ability to manage daily life with greater confidence.
Jul 21, 2026
Medically reviewed by Susan W. Lee, DO — Written by Amanda Barrell — Updated on May 14, 2026
Key takeaways
- Tremors are involuntary muscle contractions that cause body parts to tremble. Hand tremors are common and are often due to stress or tiredness.
- Hand tremors may also indicate health conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or alcohol use disorder.
- Mild tremors may not be a cause for concern. If tremors worsen or interfere with daily activities, it is important to talk with a healthcare professional.
For some people, shaky hands may be a minor inconvenience. For others, the symptom may lead to difficulty using the hands for everyday tasks.
This article describes what tremors are, outlines some potential causes of shaky hands, and asks whether it is common. We also provide tips on how to stop the hands from shaking and discuss some of the treatment options available.
Tremors are involuntary, rhythmic muscle contractions that make a body part appear to be shaking or trembling. Everyone has a slight tremor when moving or maintaining a particular posture. These are called physiologic tremors.
They are often so small that a person does not see or notice them. Hand tremors may be more noticeable when a person holds their hands out straight in front of the body or when they are stressed or anxious.
Tremors mostly affect the hands. However, it can also occur in other body parts, such as the:
- head
- arms
- legs
- torso
- voice box (larynx), which may cause a shaky voice
There are several types of tremors. However, most fall into two categories:
- Resting tremors: These occur when the muscles are relaxed, including when the hands are resting on the lap.
- Action tremors: These occur when the muscles contract due to voluntary movement. The majority of tremors are action tremors.
Sometimes, tremors can indicate an underlying health issue, especially if they are persistent or very pronounced.
Tremors can be normal or could result from neurological conditions, other health problems, or medication use. Below are some potential causes of hand tremors.
Enhanced physiologic tremor
Enhanced physiologic tremor (EPT) is perhaps the most commonly observed postural tremor. It usually affects the hands and fingers on both sides of the body.
The following may worsen EPT in some people:
- stress
- anxiety
- fatigue
- lack of sleep
- excessive caffeine intake
- vigorous exercise
- overactive thyroid
Enhanced physiological tremor does not require medical treatment, except potentially when a person needs to rely on fine muscle coordination for their work or other activities.
Jul 20, 2026
Researchers say results suggest 'complex interaction' of factors
Written by Marisa Horak, MS | July 20, 2026
- Parkinson's disease patients are less physically fit than healthy adults, even with regular exercise.
- The fitness differences are not explained by variations in muscle mass or fat tissue.
- Neurological factors in PD affect physical function, supporting strength and aerobic exercises.
Older people with Parkinson’s disease who engage in regular exercise tend to perform worse on measures of physical fitness than similarly aged adults without the disease, but these differences are not explained by variations in body muscle mass, a study showed.
While men and women with Parkinson’s tend to have different amounts of muscle and fat, these anatomical differences don’t translate into differences in physical function, the researchers said.
“This finding reinforces the notion that physical function in PD depends on a complex interaction between [neurological], muscular, and postural control factors, beyond the absolute quantity of [muscle] or fat tissue,” they wrote.
An early-access version of the study, “Physical performance and DEXA-derived body composition in adults with Parkinson’s disease participating in a community-based exercise program and community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study,” was published in Scientific Reports.
The study was conducted among adults in Latin America, a region that is underrepresented in Parkinson’s research.
Jul 17, 2026
April 30, 2026
By Tristan Horrom
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Research and Development - VA Research Communications
VA researchers have discovered a way to flush unwanted proteins and waste products from the brain by using inhaled puffs of specific amounts of carbon dioxide at set intervals, providing a low-impact, easy-to-administer breathing treatment for patients with neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease.
Led by Dr. Henry C. Lin, the New Mexico VA Health Care System team, which included Lin’s research mentees Drs. Sephira Ryman and Andrei Vakhtin, are currently working with VA’s Technology Transfer Program (TTP) to develop a prototype device that can be distributed to administer the breathing treatment for Veterans on a wide scale.
“It becomes a moment of tremendous hope,” said Dr. Lin on the potential of the new treatment, “because these are truly terrifying diseases with no solution right now. Imagine how wonderful it would be to have a new way to help these patients.”
Cases of neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s have increased exponentially in recent years, with millions of people in the United States having one of these conditions. A unifying feature of neurodegenerative conditions is the accumulation of unwanted proteins in the brain. For Alzheimer’s disease it is amyloid beta and Tau proteins, while for Parkinson’s disease it is alpha synuclein. Related conditions such as Lewy body dementia have a similar protein buildup.
Normally, the body can clear these proteins, which are often the waste products of neuron activity, using a natural process called glymphatic clearance, which takes place when our bodies enter deep sleep. During this process, the brain tells cerebral blood vessels to dilate and constrict, which allows the cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain to flow deeper into the tissue as interstitial fluid. A cycle of blood vessel dilation and contraction pumps the interstitial fluid through the brain and then back out, flushing potentially harmful proteins, inflammatory mediators, and waste into the blood so the body can clear them out. This process takes place at night, when it will not impact more complex synaptic function, which is also when the brain’s neurons dump out their waste products. Indeed, many scientists believe glymphatic clearance is one of the reasons we need to sleep in the first place.
However, people with neurodegenerative conditions frequently have sleep disorders, while people with sleep disorders are at greater risk of neurodegenerative disorders. This vicious circle impairs the ability of the body to initiate glymphatic clearance.
Jul 16, 2026
24-week daily routine is designed to improve mobility, digestion, mental health
Written by Marisa Horak, MS | July 15, 2026
- A new yoga program for early Parkinson's disease is heading to a clinical trial.
- The 24-week routine is designed to improve mobility, balance, and motor symptoms.
- It also addresses nonmotor symptoms like digestion, anxiety, and mental well-being.
A newly developed yoga program designed specifically to improve mobility and mental well-being for people in the early stages of Parkinson’s disease is heading to a clinical trial.
Developed by a trio of scientists, the customized program was recently detailed in the journal Annals of Neurosciences, under the article titled “Development and Validation of a Customised Yoga Therapy Module for People Living with Early Parkinsonism.”
While yoga is a centuries-old practice combining physical exercise with meditation, not all of its many modern styles are ideal for someone with a movement disorder. However, research shows that the right kind of yoga can ease stiffness, improve balance, and reduce anxiety and depression for those living with Parkinson’s.
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