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Hand Tremors From Gaming?

spike021

spike021

iPhone Developer (prev. PSP Dev)
Hey guys, I've been having this problem for quite a few years and wondered if it stemmed from gaming, hence why I'm going to ask you if anything similar has happened to you.

I've been playing video games for at least 13 years, and roughly 7 years ago my hands began to have small tremors, which have gotten worse up until this point. If you've seen an older person before with tremors, it can be pretty bad. I'd say that on a scale of 1-10, with a senior's hands being 10, mine can range from 6-8. However, it seems to get worse when I'm nervous (which can be normal to anyone from what I know).

Do any of you have something like this? I figured it might be interesting to see if it *does* come from gaming too much.

PS: No, I don't do drugs or anything, so I doubt that it's contributed at all.

Thanks ;)
 
E

eighty4

Active Member
Are they spasms or like jittery cramps? I used to get cramps waaaaay back on the PS1, but then it stopped after I stopped sweating in my hands.
 
spike021

spike021

iPhone Developer (prev. PSP Dev)
eighty4 said:
Are they spasms or like jittery cramps? I used to get cramps waaaaay back on the PS1, but then it stopped after I stopped sweating in my hands.
Click to expand...

More of a jittery action.

Also forgot to add that it has greatly affected my penmanship. If I try to draw, or use a mouse on the computer to draw, I can't do anything straight, like lines.
 
W

Whisper

Logic :(
Have you seen a docter? Anything you take from MFM are mere speculations. It's best to ask a professional who can look at your medical history and actually see your hands.

If I've learned anything from HOUSE, it's not Lupus.
 
spike021

spike021

iPhone Developer (prev. PSP Dev)
Whisper said:
Have you seen a docter? Anything you take from MFM are mere speculations. It's best to ask a professional who can look at your medical history and actually see your hands.

If I've learned anything from HOUSE, it's not Lupus.
Click to expand...

Hah, yeah, the normal doctor can't tell anything. He recommended going to a neurologist, so I have an appointment set up. I just wanted to know if anyone else has had similar experiences.
 
Triklops

Triklops

New Member
Sounds like a typical case of RSI to me. I do have slight jitters sometimes but that doesn't really concern me, what does is my right wrist crackles when I do freehands before a workout. Its not exactly neurological so haven't thought of going to a neurologist but I think I need to have it checked. Please do let us know what the neurologist diagnoses if its alright.
 
x3sphere

x3sphere

Administrator
Staff member
Enforcer Team
Game Info Editor
Nope, I've been gaming since I was 3 or 4 - so about 19 years now and do not have the issues you described. I think this can happen if you put too much strain on your hands in a fixed position over a prolonged period of time. So it's possible this came about from not taking breaks while gaming for hours.

eighty4 said:
It's nothing serious, it'll go away eventually.
Click to expand...

depends what's the cause of it. Anyway, good to hear you're seeing a doc.
 
spike021

spike021

iPhone Developer (prev. PSP Dev)
x3sphere said:
Nope, I've been gaming since I was 3 or 4 - so about 19 years now and do not have the issues you described. I think this can happen if you put too much strain on your hands in a fixed position over a prolonged period of time. So it's possible this came about from not taking breaks while gaming for hours.

depends what's the cause of it. Anyway, good to hear you're seeing a doc.
Click to expand...

That could be it. I used to play nonstop for hours at a time when I was younger.

However, if that were the cause, I'd assume it would be better by now since I play a lot less.

eldiablov said:
It seems you went through the MGS torture scenes too many times :p
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/me thinks so.

I knew shouldn't have replayed MGS so many times :bored:
 
N

NoEffex

Seth's On A Boat.
I injured my wrist a while back so I can't say my opinion is accurate, but not so much video games as just using the hand a lot seems to cause it, for me.
 
Hardrive

Hardrive

Contributor
I know this is going to sound crazy, but has your diet changed considerably? I notice that when I have the flu and my diet changes (only eating soup, no protein or sugar) my hands get really shaky. As soon as I eat some "normal" food again, I'm fine.
 
Cryox

Cryox

Bro.
Hardrive said:
I know this is going to sound crazy, but has your diet changed considerably? I notice that when I have the flu and my diet changes (only eating soup, no protein or sugar) my hands get really shaky. As soon as I eat some "normal" food again, I'm fine.
Click to expand...

I feel, although I am not entirely sure, that that has happened or happens to me too.
 
Adiuvo

Adiuvo

Active Member
I got this a lot when I was nine or ten, but eventually I grew out of it. Maybe the same applies to you, just at a later age?
 
eldiablov

eldiablov

Contributor
Hardrive said:
I know this is going to sound crazy, but has your diet changed considerably? I notice that when I have the flu and my diet changes (only eating soup, no protein or sugar) my hands get really shaky. As soon as I eat some "normal" food again, I'm fine.
Click to expand...

Sounds perfectly normal. It happens to me when i'm really hungry.
 
Hanzo_f19

Hanzo_f19

[insert custom user title here]
sometimes this happens to me when I'm writing or drawing, but it never happens when I'm using a controller, or a mouse, etc....
 
spike021

spike021

iPhone Developer (prev. PSP Dev)
So I went to the specialist today, and it sounds like it's nothing life threatening like Parkinson's disease, which is a relief.

According to the doc himself (and I would assume that he isn't totally sure, only somewhat, of his prognosis), I have Benign Essential Tremors. These are not related, supposedly, to any real diseases, which I'm happy about. Supposedly there isn't really any "cure" set in stone, but one known answer to these tremors is drinking a small glass of wine. According to him, I *can* take some medicine, but of course those have their own side effects, which I'd rather not deal with.

Also, this "condition" is hereditary/familial, and I *might* have contracted from my grandfather, who my dad is pretty sure has it as well.

I'm supposed to get a blood test/work done in the coming weeks to check just to be sure it's not some rare disease, and I'll make sure to let you guys know how that goes.

Thanks ;)
 
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