New Non-Invasive Treatment Helping Essential Tremors Sufferers
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—A new treatment taking place here in Baltimore is allowing some of the 10-million people affected by essential tremors to live more productive lives.
Peter Muller is taking the first steps to a better way of life. For years he has lived with essential tremors.
The visual condition may put you in mind of Parkinson's Disease, but unlike Parkinson's, essential tremor is viewed as a benign disease causing abnormalities in the brain.
"My tremor got really bad, to the point I was really having difficulty eating, writing and so many different little things," said Peter Muller.
Peter, along with 56 other patients, are taking part in a new study that is using a MRI-guided focused ultrasound, helping improve his tremors.
The most common is movement disorder which prevents many normal activities.
Treating essential tremor is more commonly treated with medication or surgery, but this is something new using focus ultra sounds-- requiring no surgery and just one day after the procedure the results are drastic.
What Peter says he's happy he is able to attempt again: making and drinking tea, but that's not all.
"I'm really interested in using a screwdriver. I haven't done that in years and I think it's going to be a real nice feeling to use a screwdriver, use scissors. I could go down a list of things," said Muller.
Patients who received the treatment saw about 47% suppression in their tremor symptoms and that benefit lasted for a year after the procedure.