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Essential tremor. What can I do?
- Thread starter rcollier
- Start date
There are some treatments that may help.
But believe it or not, you can still shoot well with the tremor. It doesn't seem like it, but I've seen it done. Everyone has some wobble when they shoot and they have to deal with it. Your wobble may just be a bit more of an issue than most.
Don't fight it, that's not productive. Learn to work with it. Just shoot and don't be afraid of the wobble when you're working the trigger. If you don't let it get into your head, I think you'll surprise yourself.
But believe it or not, you can still shoot well with the tremor. It doesn't seem like it, but I've seen it done. Everyone has some wobble when they shoot and they have to deal with it. Your wobble may just be a bit more of an issue than most.
Don't fight it, that's not productive. Learn to work with it. Just shoot and don't be afraid of the wobble when you're working the trigger. If you don't let it get into your head, I think you'll surprise yourself.
There are some beta blockers that will stop a tremor but that isn't their intended purpose and they aren't allowed in some competition.
I shot two points shy of perfect on the USMC pistol qual while I was taking atenolol, makes it physically impossible (well, improbable) to shake/tremor/flinch.
I shot two points shy of perfect on the USMC pistol qual while I was taking atenolol, makes it physically impossible (well, improbable) to shake/tremor/flinch.
FrankenMauser
New member
Primary treatments:
Beta blockers - but they'll lower your blood pressure and may cause other undesirable side effects.
Weights - arm and wrist weights can dampen the tremors and help a bit.
Alcohol - guns and booze don't mix, but one beer might help.
I was diagnosed in my 20s.
I have good days and bad, with some in between.
On bad days, I have to just give up and put the firearms away.
Beta blockers were a no-go. Weights don't help for me, they make it worse.
My diagnosing physician gave USAF pilots their flight physicals. He talked to me about how one of his patients drank a beer before every flight, to reduce the tremors. Worked great until he got caught.
One of those, "I'm not telling you to do this, but these words are coming out of my mouth for a reason" stories.
I tried it about 10 years ago. I drank a (5.3%) beer before going to the range.
No tremors.
Smooth shooting.
Felt good.
Not really a viable solution for every shooting session, or any hunting situation, though.
Practice is usually a suggestion for shooting deficiencies. But I don't believe it applies here.
I have tried for almost 20 years and can't get "practice" to stop my body from being a pain in the butt.
Beta blockers - but they'll lower your blood pressure and may cause other undesirable side effects.
Weights - arm and wrist weights can dampen the tremors and help a bit.
Alcohol - guns and booze don't mix, but one beer might help.
I was diagnosed in my 20s.
I have good days and bad, with some in between.
On bad days, I have to just give up and put the firearms away.
Beta blockers were a no-go. Weights don't help for me, they make it worse.
My diagnosing physician gave USAF pilots their flight physicals. He talked to me about how one of his patients drank a beer before every flight, to reduce the tremors. Worked great until he got caught.
One of those, "I'm not telling you to do this, but these words are coming out of my mouth for a reason" stories.
I tried it about 10 years ago. I drank a (5.3%) beer before going to the range.
No tremors.
Smooth shooting.
Felt good.
Not really a viable solution for every shooting session, or any hunting situation, though.
Practice is usually a suggestion for shooting deficiencies. But I don't believe it applies here.
I have tried for almost 20 years and can't get "practice" to stop my body from being a pain in the butt.
Alcohol - guns and booze don't mix, but one beer might help.
My diagnosing physician gave USAF pilots their flight physicals. He talked to me about how one of his patients drank a beer before every flight, to reduce the tremors. Worked great until he got caught.
One of those, "I'm not telling you to do this, but these words are coming out of my mouth for a reason" stories.
I tried it about 10 years ago. I drank a (5.3%) beer before going to the range.
No tremors.
Smooth shooting.
Felt good.
No personal experience but I work with a guy who gets pretty bad tremors. He's not much of a beer drinker but says a shot of whiskey works for him the same way. I always thought he should get a Dr note to keep a fifth in his desk at work, purely for medicinal purposes, of course.
FrankenMauser
New member
Caffeine is a good point.
I accidentally stopped consuming caffeine about 13 years ago, and never went back. Definitely helped the tremors.
I accidentally stopped consuming caffeine about 13 years ago, and never went back. Definitely helped the tremors.
The Verminator
New member
Light and crisp trigger becomes even more important.
I started a beta blocker for essential tremor a little over a month ago (prescribed by a doctor, of course). It has helped noticeably.
While the immediate effective of a small quantity of alcohol can be positive, higher amounts and chronic overuse are detrimental, according to everything I have read. I'm down to one cup of coffee in the morning. Not sure I am going to give that up.
While the immediate effective of a small quantity of alcohol can be positive, higher amounts and chronic overuse are detrimental, according to everything I have read. I'm down to one cup of coffee in the morning. Not sure I am going to give that up.
AdamMuskul
New member
Alcohol - guns and booze don't mix, but one beer might help.
My diagnosing physician gave USAF pilots their flight physicals. He talked to me about how one of his patients drank a beer before every flight, to reduce the tremors. Worked great until he got caught.
One of those, "I'm not telling you to do this, but these words are coming out of my mouth for a reason" stories.
https://twojfilm.online/
I tried it about 10 years ago. I drank a (5.3%) beer before going to the range.
No tremors.
Smooth shooting.
Felt good.
It's very interesting. Actually, I haven't encountered it. But it's good to know.