Random body shaking can come from anxiety, low blood sugar, caffeine, fever, or tremor. See a doctor if it is frequent.
Common causes
- Anxiety or panic.
- Low blood sugar.
- Caffeine.
- Fever and chills.
- Fatigue.
- Medicines.
- Essential tremor.
- Hyperthyroidism.
- Alcohol withdrawal.
What helps
Eat, drink water, reduce caffeine and relax.
See a doctor
If shaking persists or comes with weakness or confusion.
Emergency
Seizure or loss of consciousness. Call 911.
Causes of shaking
Random body shaking can come from anxiety and adrenaline surges, caffeine, low blood sugar, fatigue, fever or chills, withdrawal from alcohol or drugs, medication side effects, overactive thyroid, essential tremor, Parkinson disease or neurological conditions. Physiologic tremor is a normal slight shake that gets stronger with stress, caffeine or fatigue.
- Essential tremor affects about 1 in 100 people, and about 4 to 5 percent of people over 65.
- Hyperthyroidism causes fine tremor, weight loss, heat intolerance and a fast pulse.
- Alcohol withdrawal tremor starts 6 to 24 hours after the last drink and can progress to seizures, a medical emergency.
What to do
Reduce caffeine, eat regularly, sleep well and use relaxation techniques. Blood tests can check glucose, thyroid and electrolytes. See a doctor for persistent or worsening tremor, shaking with weakness, confusion, fever, or loss of coordination. Call emergency services for shaking with chest pain, fainting, seizures or stroke signs such as face droop and speech difficulty.
Causes of shaking
Shaking can result from low blood sugar, anxiety, caffeine, fever, medications, thyroid overactivity, alcohol withdrawal or neurological conditions such as essential tremor, which affects about 7 million Americans.
What to do
Eat, rest and cut caffeine. See a doctor for persistent tremor, weakness or confusion.
Medical and non medical causes
Essential tremor affects about 7 million Americans and is the most common movement disorder, often familial. Physiologic tremor is worsened by caffeine, stress and medications like albuterol and lithium. Hyperthyroidism, low blood sugar and alcohol withdrawal cause tremor. Parkinson’s tremor occurs at rest, at 4 to 6 Hz.
Evaluation and treatments
Neurologists test hand writing, finger to nose and blood work. Propranolol and primidone are first line drugs for essential tremor. Deep brain stimulation or focused ultrasound treat severe cases. Shaking with fever and chills (rigors) suggests infection, and with confusion or high temperature needs prompt care.
Based on data from the International Essential Tremor Foundation and the NINDS
