From the Research
TENS units are not considered a first-line or highly effective treatment option for familial tremor, and their use should be approached with caution due to limited evidence supporting their efficacy. While some small studies and anecdotal reports indicate that TENS may provide modest temporary relief for some patients with essential tremor (including familial forms), the current evidence base does not support its widespread use as a primary treatment for familial tremor 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
Current Treatment Options
The most established treatments for familial tremor include medications like:
- Propranolol (40-320 mg daily)
- Primidone (50-250 mg daily)
- Topiramate
- Gabapentin as well as specialized procedures like focused ultrasound or deep brain stimulation for severe cases 2, 4, 5.
TENS Therapy
For those wanting to try TENS, typical settings include frequencies of 50-100 Hz at comfortable intensity levels, with electrodes placed near tremor-affected muscles or along nerve pathways, used for 20-30 minute sessions. However, the mechanism by which TENS might help some patients likely involves temporary disruption of aberrant neural signaling or muscle activation patterns, but these effects are generally short-lived and variable between individuals.
Key Considerations
When considering treatment options for familial tremor, it is essential to prioritize evidence-based treatments that have been shown to be effective in reducing morbidity, mortality, and improving quality of life. The use of TENS units should be approached with caution and considered only as a complementary therapy, if at all, due to the limited evidence supporting its efficacy 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.